Cattle and the Petroleum Industry

An Introduction for the Veterinarian

Abstract

Veterinarians are occasionally called upon to investigate concerns from cattle producers who feel they have suffered economic losses resulting from the effects of industrial activity on the health and productivity of their livestock operation. The following is an introduction to some of the problems that can occasionally result from the close proximity of cattle to petrochemical activities. Some strategies for investigating these types of problems are also suggested. Peer-reviewed experimental or observational field studies of the effects of the petroleum industry on livestock are very limited. The available literature consists of scattered case reports, reviews of these case reports, a few small experimental dosing studies in cattle, experimental results extrapolated from other species, and observational reports from the "gray literature" of conference proceedings and environmental accidents or complaint investigations.

This paper is intended as a brief introduction for the practicing veterinarian called to investigate petroleum related complaints. It is not intended to be an exhaustive review of the available material. A more detailed presentation of the potential hazards to livestock from the oil and gas industry has recently been released by the Alberta Cattle Commission.¹