title: Lack of associations between air emissions from sour-gas processing plants and beef cow-calf herd health and productivity in Alberta, Canada.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta., Canada T6G 2G3. hmscott@cvm.tamu.edu
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Soskolne
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Basarab
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Coppock
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Guidotti
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lissemore
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D005740:Gases; D007220:Industrial Waste; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide