LIVESTOCK owners are being reminded to look for signs of blue-green algae when inspecting farm dams, troughs and other water sources, particularly during the warmer months, when algal blooms are more likely to occur.
Alison Lee, Agriculture Victoria Principal Veterinary Officer – Small Ruminants, said Blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, are bacteria that can multiply rapidly under certain conditions.
Blue-green algae is more likely to occur when the water is warm and enriched with nutrients like phosphorus or nitrogen.
While blue-green algal blooms typically appear as green paint-like surface scum in water, they can also be reddish-purple or brown in colour. It can be difficult to tell blue-green algae from other less toxic algal species.
Blue-green algae may contain toxins that damage the liver or nervous system. Drinking contaminated water can kill livestock quickly and a number of livestock may be affected at the same time.
Animals exposed to affected water supplies may continue to die over a prolonged period. In milder cases, productivity losses may occur, which in dairy cattle may be seen as decreased milk yield.
If a suspicious bloom is found, farmers should move their stock to an area on the property with a safe alternative water source.
Farmers should plan for managing water availability in the event that a blue-green algal bloom impacts their primary livestock drinking water supply.
The plan should include calculating how much water livestock would require if the primary water supply was unsafe to drink and identifying additional alternative on-farm water supplies that could be utilised quickly.
In the medium-term, your plan could include improving water reticulation systems, considering options for treating blue-green algae affected water, or agisting your stock elsewhere until your farm water is safe again.
Source: Agriculture Victoria – further information: Blue-green algae | Blue-green algae in water | Water | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria
Producers should also limit their contact with blue green algae as it can have longer term impacts on health, with research linking dementia and MND to the toxins in the algae.
Australian Cattle Industry Council
Can you provide a reliable source for this research please John? We can add a link here, for those who wish to learn more. Editor
MND Australia mentions blue-green algae as a suggested cause of MND (mndaustralia.org.au/articles/advance-what-causes-mnd) and refers to studies conducted since the 1950s particularly on Guam and PNG where toxins found in blue-green algae have resulted in higher levels of MND/Parkinson’s dementia in their populations. In Guam it was 100 times greater. They refer you to one study at pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3194113/?tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract .
I wouldn’t be putting my bare hand anywhere near the algae as shown in your photo.
All the best
John
Could you add the links provided so other grass-fed cattle producers can read about the health concerns of Blue-green algae?
I wouldn’t scoop up blue-green algae in my bare hand as depicted in the photo. I suggest avoiding physical contact. It has not been proven, but there may be a link between exposure to BG Algae and motor neurone disease