SASKATOON — Farmers with range cattle should keep an eye out for blue-green algae which can contaminate water.
The algae can be deadly to livestock, said Karl Lauten of Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management.
“I’m sure there’s cattle dying all the time from ingesting blue-green algae. …The literature is full of references to livestock dying after drinking it.”
With all the rainfall this year, lakes and sloughs across the Prairies are becoming increasingly nutrient-rich from runoff. The algae feed on these nutrients and multiply rapidly.
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
Last month a labrador retriever became Saskatchewan’s first reported victim of the year from algae. The dog lapped up some water from Last Mountain Lake, near Regina, where the algae was in bloom.
“He was dead in 20 minutes,” said Lauten.
Dull-green snowflakes
The algae first appear as little dull-green snowflakes in the water. When it decays the algae rise to the surface, gather in clumps and wash up along the shoreline.
There have been no reports of livestock dying from ingesting blue-green algae in Saskatchewan.
But Lauten said just because there are no reports doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.
A lot of range cattle die from mysterious causes and autopsies are rarely performed.
It’s relatively easy to keep small children and pets away from contaminated water, but with cattle it’s a different story.
If there is a heavy growth of blue-green algae in the animals’ water supply, the farmer should fence it off and look for another source.
