A total of seven animals are dead due to anthrax in Saskatchewan, according to the province’s Ministry of Agriculture.
Officials said a case was confirmed in the RM of Golden West in the southeastern part of the province.
Anthrax was confirmed by laboratory results on August 29, 2019, as the cause of sudden death in the seven animals.
Affected animals are usually found dead without any signs of illness.
According to a release from the ministry, anthrax is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis, which can survive in spore form for decades in soil.
Changes in soil moisture, from flooding and drying, can lead to a build-up of the spores on pastures. Spores can concentrate in sloughs and potholes, and risk of animal exposure to anthrax increases in drier years when these areas dry up and become accessible.
Spores can also surface when the ground is excavated or when there is excessive run-off. Livestock are infected when they eat forage contaminated with spores.
The ministry encourages producers in regions where there have been previous anthrax outbreaks to vaccinate their animals, and be on the lookout for anthrax in their animals.
