That green slime on the dugout could be a killer, says Bob Klemmer of Saskatchewan Agriculture.
The beef forage specialist said Cyanobacteria, commonly known as blue-green algae, is often mistaken for regular run of the mill algae.
“In the right concentrations, it can be very toxic,” he said, citing the deaths that occur to livestock and companion animals every year.
Heat helps the algae grow, as does rain that wash soil nutrients into water sources and livestock that drop urine and feces in their drinking areas. Wind can also concentrate the blooms in one spot in a dugout where animals drink.
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The bacteria is most dangerous when those blooms die off and the toxins are released, he said.
Klemmer said death comes quickly, with most perishing within metres of the contaminated water.
A simple test for the bacteria involves scooping up a handful of water. If it sticks to and clumps in the hand, it’s probably normal algae, but if it sticks to the fingers in specks, it’s likely blue-green algae.
“If you see algae blooms, that’s a red flag that there may be blue-green algae,” he said.
Klemmer said the risk of contamination is reduced by using remote watering systems where livestock are restricted from direct access to water.
He suggested monitoring all watering sources regularly through the summer and treating them if algae is present.
He said a good source of information on copper treatments of water is the website www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/water/copper_e.htm.
