The Alberta government has established a veterinary surveillance network to get a better understanding of livestock disease in the province.
“Our goal is to try and gather disease information,” said Jagdish Patel, with the Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network in Edmonton.
About 28 of the province’s 150 mixed animal practice veterinarians have voluntarily started to enter disease data into the web-based computer program. So far, diseases like Johne’s disease, abscesses, foot rot, pneumonia and downed cattle from milk fever are the most common.
Patel expects calving related diseases to begin showing up on the network as calving season begins in earnest. So far, about four months of data have been collected. About 18 months of data are needed to begin to see disease patterns.
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The implementation of the disease surveillance network is directly related to BSE, said Patel. The OIE, the world organization for international animal health, has said countries like Canada, which have had cases of BSE, need a better understanding of animal health and need to monitor disease trends. Veterinarians will also be able to use the program to analyze the disease data from their area.
“Veterinarians, like medical doctors, don’t share information,” he said.
The program also gives veterinarians access to pathologists, epidemiologists and other vets who can help investigate disease problems that could affect market access, food safety or public health.
“We are not into production related disease investigation,” he said.
A similar paper-based program exists in Quebec, but it is mandatory because of government assistance to veterinarians.
The Alberta government has established a veterinary surveillance network to get a better understanding of livestock disease in the province.
“Our goal is to try and gather disease information,” said Jagdish Patel, with the Alberta Veterinary Surveillance Network in Edmonton.
About 28 of the province’s 150 mixed animal practice veterinarians have voluntarily started to enter disease data into the web-based computer program. So far, diseases like Johne’s disease, abscesses, foot rot, pneumonia and downed cattle from milk fever are the most common.
Patel expects calving related diseases to begin showing up on the network as calving season begins in earnest. So far, about four months of data have been collected. About 18 months of data are needed to begin to see disease patterns.
The implementation of the disease surveillance network is directly related to BSE, said Patel. The OIE, the world organization for international animal health, has said countries like Canada, which have had cases of BSE, need a better understanding of animal health and need to monitor disease trends. Veterinarians will also be able to use the program to analyze the disease data from their area.
“Veterinarians, like medical doctors, don’t share information,” he said.
The program also gives veterinarians access to pathologists, epidemiologists and other vets who can help investigate disease problems that could affect market access, food safety or public health.
“We are not into production related disease investigation,” he said.
A similar paper-based program exists in Quebec, but it is mandatory because of government assistance to veterinarians.
