Perfect environmental conditions have led to what is likely the worst outbreak of anthrax in Saskatchewan’s history.
At least 28 farms in the province’s northeast were under quarantine July 10 and 113 animals, including cattle and horses, had been confirmed dead of the bacterial disease or were suspected to have died from it since late June.
The farms under quarantine include those with cattle, horses, swine, bison and white-tailed deer, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.
Controlling the outbreak has been made more difficult by a lack of available vaccine.
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The CFIA and private veterinarians administered about 7,000 doses to livestock on the affected farms and others within a 10 kilometre radius of them before supplies ran out last week.
The confirmed outbreak sites are near Melfort, Annaheim and St. Front.
Lloyd Haugerud had lost nine young cows as of July 10. He raises cattle, horses and sheep about 35 kilometres north of Melfort.
“I had only 53 (cattle) when I started,” he said July 10 during a break from burning carcasses. “I have neighbours who have 100 to 110 head. They’ve lost 14, 17.”
He vaccinated all his stock July 3 and by July 9 was giving some of them penicillin. He said he would vaccinate them again if he could.
Clinics in Melfort, Tisdale and Humboldt have all run out of vaccine because they don’t normally stock it. Anthrax hasn’t been a problem in the region before.
Anthrax is a highly fatal disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a spore-forming bacterium.
Animals that have died from anthrax shed the bacteria and it can live in the soil for years. Spores are released when that soil is disturbed.
Janine Evans, veterinary technologist at Mohawk Animal Clinic in Melfort, said this outbreak occurred because it has been so wet in the region.
She said it’s likely that a few years of drought followed by intense moisture last fall and this spring caused the water table to rise and shift topsoil. Hot, sunny weather is now drying out the soil and releasing the spores.
“Our problem here is it is a true epidemic,” she said. “We had the absolute perfect conditions.”
Sandra Stephens, a veterinary program specialist with the CFIA, said both severe flooding and severe drought are considered types of soil disturbance that would cause the spores to appear.
Haugerud said his operation was about the 10th to be affected. He said those who have lost animals are working together to clean up the problem.
They have formed crews of three to four men and are going from farm to farm to burn carcasses and clean up the soil.
Evans said they have to follow strict regulations, including spraying vehicles with formaldehyde, to prevent the spores from travelling with them.
Haugerud added the cost of lost animals, milk replacer for calves, labour and vaccine will set him back probably $10,000. The federal government will compensate for the vaccine and disposal but not the animals, he said.
“It’s absolutely nobody’s fault,” he said.
And it may not be over yet. Evans and Stephens said the disease could occur all summer and Haugerud said there are already rumors of 14 more dead animals about 80 kilometres north of Melfort.
Veterinarians expect more vaccine to arrive this week.
