Improving Beef Cattle Health Surveillance in Western Canada

Background

Disease surveillance plays an important role in early detection, both in terms of changes in diseases we’re aware of, as well as detecting new diseases. Early detection is key to prompt and effective responses that minimize risk to cattle, producers, the industry and the economy.

The Western Canadian Animal Health Network (WeCAHN) is modelled on existing networks in Quebec and Ontario. WeCAHN is a collaborative initiative where veterinarians and other experts can share and discuss animal disease data, emerging animal health events, disease treatment and management strategies, and other current surveillance issues. As well as sharing information on both new and familiar diseases, best practices are also discussed. Reports and other communications summarizing network meeting findings are shared with livestock producers, veterinarians, and industry, with the objective of helping to improve animal health and welfare in western Canada.

Objectives

• Build a robust, sustainable western Canadian beef health surveillance network, using the knowledge and expertise of veterinarians, epidemiologists, producers, and animal health laboratories to collect, synthesize and share animal health information, reducing the impact of beef animal disease
• Improve the usefulness of veterinary diagnostic laboratory data for the beef industry
• Deliver timely, targeted information regarding trends in frequency of beef diseases and best treatment practices to beef producers and veterinarians, to improve the quality of animal health
• Create a rapid alert system within an early warning system for beef safety in western Canada, detecting and assessing early surveillance and intelligence signals, and rapidly communicating the risks, with appropriate mitigation strategies, to beef veterinarians and producers, reducing losses and improving competitiveness
• Assess the cost-effectiveness of the network and build a sustainable plan for continuing the WeCAHN beef network’s operations into the future

What they DID

The WeCAHN beef network involved epidemiologists, representatives from the provincial veterinary laboratories in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the Saskatoon and Calgary veterinary colleges, a practicing beef veterinarian from each province, the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance and the Canadian Cow Calf Surveillance Network. It expanded to include western beef producers. They used data from practices and labs to understand changing trends in frequency of disease in different regions with the intent of recognizing and controlling significant issues before they get out of hand. Data was summarized and distributed, along with recommended Best Management Practices when concerns are identified. Over time, the Network intends to grow and include feedlot data.

Year 1 WeCAHN focused on assessing the information necessary to develop an early warning system, beginning to establish data collection pipelines and developing its communication networks. In Year 2 WeCAHN began to analyze patterns especially in the lab data to help identify disease trends and develop an early warning system for beef disease detection, especially emerging disease. In Year 3 WeCAHN did an economic analysis and general performance evaluation of the beef network and developed a network sustainability plan.

What They Learned

The most important surveillance outcomes prioritized by the WeCAHN beef network were bovine tuberculosis, pre-weaning BRD, calf mortality, antimicrobial resistance, Johne’s disease, calf diarrhea, Foot and Mouth Disease, and Salmonella. These outcomes are specifically reported on during network meetings to allow for discussion, with the entire group of prioritized outcomes included in each meeting dataset. 

As the network discussed the dataset for these outcomes over time, the strength provided by a group having diverse backgrounds and interests became clear. Diagnosticians provide insight to lab findings from the practitioners’ cases as well as the major lab data downloads provided quarterly. Practitioners offer context to lab findings and trends. Provincial ministry staff share the regulatory perspective as well as having direct contact with producers- who are the heart of the surveillance system. Recent outbreaks of emerging disease, such as the baby calves with liver problems, or recent reduced pregnancy rates in western breeding cows show how cross-specialist discussion can help define the problem and identify potential risk management strategies.

The flexibility of the system allows it to be used for a variety of surveillance objectives: studying trends in frequency of disease or agent, such as Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus, case finding, such as baby calves with liver disease, or supporting Canada’s assertion for freedom of disease such as the use of the “blister model” to support Canada’s assertion of freedom from Foot and Mouth Disease.

The strength of the system lies in the connection and collaboration of the people participating in the network.Beef industry funding support was instrumental in helping to secure funding for WeCAHN through the 2023-28 SCAP funding cycle.

What This Means

Overall, these results illustrate how a well-coordinated surveillance network, supported by diverse expertise and funding, contributes to better disease management, risk mitigation, and industry sustainability. Having sustainably funded surveillance programs allow for the breaking down of silos to better respond to emerging disease and improve the overall welfare of western Canadian cattle.