Lack of associations between air emissions from sour-gas processing plants and beef cow-calf herd health and productivity in Alberta, Canada.
This paper describes a large-scale investigation into the effects of licensed air emissions from sour-gas processing plants on the health and productivity of beef cow-calf herds in the province of Alberta, Canada. In conjunction with a geographical information system, two atmospheric-dispersion models were used to assess historical exposures at 5726 beef cow-calf farm-sites from 1987 to 1990. We did secondary analyses of health, productivity, and management data, from a government-extension survey previously administered to beef cow-calf producers across the province. Statistical models (adjusted for potential confounding and clustering within herd and over time) were used to determine associations with estimates of sour-gas emission exposure. All analyses were conducted at the herd-level. There were no significant (P>0.05) detrimental associations of exposure and the annual herd risk for culling, calf-crop delivered, calf-crop season profile, stillbirth and twinning, calfhood mortality, or calf-crop weaned.
Scott
H M
HM
Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada T6G 2G3. hmscott@cvm.tamu.edu
Soskolne
C L
CL
Martin
S W
SW
Basarab
J A
JA
Coppock
R W
RW
Guidotti
T L
TL
Lissemore
K D
KD
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000416:Alberta / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D004463:Ecology; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005740:Gases / Q000009:adverse effects; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012307:Risk Factors; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014427:Twins / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D007220:Industrial Waste; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide