Alberta’s government is releasing a new, science-based management framework to recognize feral horses and ensure their future sustainability.

Sep 26, 2023

Currently more than 1,400 feral horses are located across six equine management zones in Alberta. Some equine management zones are facing significant challenges to the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem because of the number of horses on the landscape.

Alberta’s public rangelands are productive ecosystems that support many land uses, including recreation, forestry and resource extraction, wildlife, livestock and feral horses. All these uses need to be managed and balanced to ensure rangelands do not become degraded.

As the feral horse population grows, horses move from areas with good foraging opportunities into areas that are less able to support them. This puts pressure on other wildlife and livestock and creates challenges for ecological stability.

By establishing and implementing a science-based management framework for feral horses, Alberta’s government can better support the species while continuing to protect rangelands and other animals that live on the landscape.

Video: How Data Predicts Swine Outbreaks - Swaminathan Jayaraman

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Swaminathan Jayaraman, Research Assistant and PhD Candidate at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, explains how integrated data systems can improve disease surveillance in swine production. He discusses combining diagnostics, animal movement data, production records, and spatial analytics to identify risks earlier and support proactive decision-making for PRRS, PED, and swine influenza. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Disease surveillance remains largely reactive because outbreaks are often confirmed only after transmission has already occurred across multiple connected production sites."

Meet the guest: Swaminathan Jayaraman / swamjay is a Graduate Research Assistant at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. With academic training in management information systems and engineering, he focuses on integrating diagnostic, production, and movement data to improve disease surveillance and decision support in swine production systems. Listen to Swaminathan Jayaraman on The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, available on all major platforms.