Three Creeks Animal Health Survey

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

Food Safety and Animal Health Division

December 1, 2011

Contents

• Purpose

• Questionnaire Contents and Distribution

• Response and Results

• Survey Comments

• Conclusion and Future Role

Purpose

• March 23rd 2010 - Report to the Office of the Chief

Provincial Veterinarian

• Owner referred to local veterinary practice and the OCPV

will assist the veterinary practice

• Farm visit by ARD veterinarians on April 27th 2010

• Anecdotal reports by this livestock producer that there are

other livestock producers in the area affected.

• April 2010 - February 8th 2011 – No cases reported to

local clinic and no reports to OCPV.

Purpose

• July 2010 – A human health survey was recommended

during a community meeting. Decision to attach an

animal health survey with the human health survey.

• February 8th 2011 – New complaint by same producer

about sick cattle on his farm due to gas emissions.

• Questionnaire sent out to community last week of March

2011 and deadline for return was May 2011.

Animal Health Questionnaire - Contents

• Companion Animals (Cats, Dogs and Horses)

– Basic Pet Information

– Symptoms during odour episodes

– Medical history of the pets

– Comparative health from previous year

• Livestock (cattle – beef cattle)

– Production records for most recent calving season

– Medical history for most recent calving season

Questionnaire - Distribution

• 586 joint human/animal health questionnaires were sent

out to the residents and landowners around the affected

area.

– Questionnaire distribution by location:

• Northern Sunrise County Residents – 266 packages

delivered (8 homes unoccupied or declined to

provide information)

• Little Buffalo – 70 packages sent out.

• Cadotte Lake – 250 packages delivered

Questionnaire - Response

• 109 animal health surveys were returned

• 68 surveys were completed

• 25 surveys were blank

• 16 surveys mentioned that they did not have pets

• 67 completed surveys were for companion animals (1

survey also had beef cattle information).

• 1 survey was completed for beef cattle only.

• 2 surveys in total with beef cattle information

Questionnaire Details

• In the 67 companion animal surveys:

• 151 animals in total

• 80 dogs

• 48 cats

• 22 horses

• 1 not stated.

• Out of 151 companion animals

• 107 animals were kept mostly or always outside

• 44 animals were mostly or always kept inside the house.

General Health – Companion Animals

• At the time of survey, out of the 151 animals,

• 118 animals were in very good to excellent health

• 17 were in good health

• 9 were in fair health

• 4 were in poor to very poor health

• 3 were deceased (June 2010).

Comparative Health – Companion Animals

• Compared to previous year 138 animals had the same or

much better health.

• 10 animals had somewhat worse to much worse health

as compared to last year.

Odour Emission Days – Companion Animals

� 119 animals had no symptoms of illness during odour

emissions days.

� 32 animals had symptoms during odour emissions

days. Some had multiple symptoms.

� 3 animals out of 151 required veterinary attention

during those days.

• Most common symptoms observed:

– Reduced appetite and activity

– Eye, nose and throat irritation

– Increased activity and anxiety

– vomiting and diarrhea

• Less common symptoms observed:

– reduced water consumption

– abdominal pain and increased urination.

Questionnaire Results - Livestock

• Two beef cattle surveys completed.

• Cow-calf producer A

• No abortions

• 94% live calves

• 1 calf mortality

• Cow calf producer B

• 5 abortions

• 88.75% live calves (92.5% calving )

• 3 calves with birth defects and (cows?) with foot rot

and staggering.

• No veterinary assistance sought

Survey Comments – Companion Animals

• A more comprehensive animal health study be done,

suggests a wildlife study should be done as well, wishes

there were a place for more general comments on survey.

• Single respondent:

– pets general health : "[The animals] all died 1 year

[ago] in June.”

– comparative health: "These dogs were healthy about 3

years ago”

– seeing a veterinarian about symptoms during odour

episodes: "Too expensive to see vet. Can't afford it."

Survey Comments – Beef Cattle

• “most of these problems are related to farming practice

1) too big bulls used 2) calving in cold weather. Why

more concerned with animal health & survey than

people”.

• “I am concerned that reports of a neighbour losing

several calves and cows due to smell but the next farm

over had one of the best calving seasons ever”.

• “Cows walk stiff on front end. When gas is around,

cows go off feed for up to two days after gas is gone

and are running from nose and some abort at that

time”.

Conclusion

• Animal Health issues are not significantly widespread

• 1 cow-calf farm reported health issues during odour

emissions. (183 beef and dairy operations registered

within 50km radius).

• Animal Health issues in companion animals are minor

• A number of short term, minor health issues in

companion animals during odour episodes were

reported by their owners.

ARD – Future Role

• ARD will provide assistance through private veterinarian.

• Cost of veterinary visit and exam will be producer

responsibility .

• Assistance with diagnostic testing for cases referred to

private veterinarian will be decided based on case

history.

• ARD will not work directly with producer.