A third case of anthrax in cattle has been detected on a central Alberta farm.
The case was discovered July 24 at Caroline, Alta., when a single animal was found dead, said veterinary program officer Doug Scott of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
The farm has been quarantined and all other livestock were vaccinated.
The latest outbreak is about 16 kilometres away from the other two cases discovered at the end of June near Rocky Mountain House.
All three farms are under quarantine.
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So far, 21 animals have died.
Vets from the CFIA supervised burial of the infected carcasses.
The bodies were incinerated and buried in lined pits.
The topsoil where the animals were found was scraped off and thrown into the pit to destroy any spores that may have developed when body fluid leaked into the ground.
Remaining livestock on the premises was vaccinated. Producers on neighboring farms have been told of the outbreak and were advised to vaccinate their livestock.
As for vaccinating animals on other farms, Scott said producers should contact their vet before taking action.
“Anybody who has livestock should consult their private livestock practitioner. He knows the history of the area.”
Scott said 1999 has been an anthrax year for Alberta, but he cautions that the cases discovered so far are part of a localized outbreak.
Anthrax is a fatal disease in livestock. It appears to be caused by soil borne bacteria that spread the disease by spores.
Animals eat grass close to the ground, ingest the spores, get sick and die soon after. Anthrax does not appear to be spread from one animal to another.
It is one of the oldest livestock diseases known.
Anthrax is difficult to diagnose in live animals because it kills so quickly.
Symptoms that may appear immediately before death are high temperatures, bloody discharge and swelling in the neck and shoulder areas.
However, most animals die before any other symptoms are noticed, said Scott.
Animals that die of anthrax show no signs of rigor mortis. Unclotted blood leaks from their orifices.
It is difficult to determine the exact source of an anthrax outbreak. Once the disease has occurred in an area, there is always the possibility of recurrence depending on environmental conditions.
Anthrax spores can survive for years in soil and water.
They are usually exposed at the surface through environmental conditions such as erosion, flooding or excavations on the land.
