Blue green algae can be a pretty big issue in some dugouts and other water bodies over the summer — especially when it comes to livestock.
The ideal growing conditions for algae and other bacteria is the combination of hot weather along with certain nutrients that may enter the water through run-off or another source.
Halsey Shaheen is a livestock intern with Saskatchewan's Ministry of Agriculture, and she recommends producers use a registered copper sulphate product to treat algae-affected water.
"Now if you do treat it, you want to make sure you calculate the volume in the waterbody correctly so you're treating with the right amount," she says, "and when you treat it, you have to keep in mind that's killing off the bacteria, and when you kill those bacteria, they will likely be releasing toxins. So if you do treat it, you're going to have to remove your livestock from that water source and find a new one for 14 days."
Source : Steinbachonline