This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

UGA Warning for Pond Owners after Cattle Deaths on Dacula Farm

University of Georgia researchers warn pond owners to remain vigilant after cattle die on a Dacula farm from ingesting toxic algae.

Four cows are dead after ingesting toxic algae according to University of Georgia researchers.

The deaths occurred on a cattle farm in Dacula. Researchers advise a recent “perfect storm” of high temperatures and darught created the right conditions for toxic algae to bloom in a pond on the farm. The toxic algae have also been found in at least one other pond less than 10 miles from the Dacula cattle farm. According to a UGA press release, the incidents may not be isolated.

“Pond owners should be mindful of the risks associated with toxic algae and take proper management steps to prevent or lessen the formation of an algae bloom,” said Rebecca Haynie, a toxicologist with the UGA Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, in a released statement. “However, there are numerous species of common algae in the Southeast that are capable of producing toxin. So just because you have a bloom doesn’t mean you have something toxic in the water.”

Find out what's happening in Lilburn-Mountain Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Researchers, however, warn property owners to keep livestock and pets out of water that has become discolored or opaque. Pond owners can purchase algicide products from feed supply stores to treat suspected algae bloom, but UGA researchers emphasize it is important to determine the underlying cause of the algae bloom.

Haynie and other researchers are working to clear the algae bloom in the Dacula cattle farmer’s pond and have described the pond as a “worst-case scenario.”

Find out what's happening in Lilburn-Mountain Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Warmer than average temperatures and drought leading to increased water clarity and an influx of nutrients from the surrounding pasture created ideal conditions for an algae bloom,” UGA researchers explained in the press release. The toxin levels in the water were so high, they were out of the test range.

Once exposed to toxic algae, cattle can appear weak, exhibit muscle tremors, convulsions and have bloody diarrhea.

“These toxins can be fatal if ingested in high quantities,” according to Lawton Stewart, a Cooperative Extension animal scientist with UGA. “Diagnosis may be difficult because the symptoms may easily be mistaken for other disorders more commonly observed in cattle, so a thorough evaluation of the farm is essential to rule out other causes.”

The toxins suspected of killing the cows in Dacula usually do not cause sudden death and cause symptoms such as abdominal cramps, excessive drooling, loss of appetite and lethargy.

The owner of the cows, Bill Atkinson, told UGA researchers his cattle had grazed near the pond and drank the water for more than 40 years without problem. Then, on May 5, he found his first heifer dead. Atkinson said he did not immediately suspect a problem since a solitary cattle death is not unusual. However, when the second one died on May 12, he and a local veterinarian began to suspect a problem and ultimately contacted UGA.

The dead cattle were all show cattle. Three other heifers exposed to the algae toxins have been sequestered and are being monitored for symptoms.

Pond owners who suspect a blue-green algae bloom should contact Wilde at swilde@uga.edu or Haynie at hayniers@uga.edu with questions.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?