PONOKA, Alta. – When it comes to production, feed and treatment for illness, bison are usually treated similar to cattle.
When there’s a nutrition question, producers turn to their cattle nutrition textbooks. If there’s a health issue, veterinarians refer to their cattle training.
But two Alberta veterinarians wonder if the two species should be so closely linked. They have begun a study to examine dead bison to better understand what kills them.
Dr. Pat Burrage of Bluffton and Dr. Roy Lewis of Westlock hope to examine 100 dead bison over 18 months and find clues on why they died and recommend ways to keep them healthy.
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“Roy and I are just get dirty kind of guys and this is our idea of a research project,” Burrage told bison producers at a Bison Producers of Alberta seminar.
The research, funded by the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, is called “A study to investigate the post mortem findings and associated pathogenic agents in bison in Alberta.”
“We want to know what’s killing these bison,” said Burrage.
“Most of the time we associate what’s happening with cattle, happen in bison, but we don’t know that.”
They have conducted post mortem examinations on 19 bison. Eleven deaths have been respiratory in origin, four from trauma and the rest are classified as unknown.
The lungs of the bison with respiratory problems feel like a hunk of bologna, said Burrage.
“Lungs shouldn’t feel that way.”
Death from trauma has also been a concern.
“They don’t move slow. They have one speed and it’s fast and forward.”
Measuring the number of deaths from trauma may lead to more recommendations on improved handling, he said.
Fecal samples taken from the bison also show a high level of round worms.
“Round worms are very treatable. If (there is) one thing we can do to bison, it would be to worm them.”
