Smoky conditions and hot weather impacting Manitoba's agricultural producers

In a growing season that's already experienced more than 30 days of air quality warnings, Manitoba's farmers are adjusting to keep themselves and their animals safe amid smoky conditions from wildfires burning across the province.

In Pipestone, Man., the orange haze can get so thick it's hard to see more than half a mile, says cattle producer Melissa Atchison. That means during the tail end of calving season, they're taking extra precautions to keep themselves and their animals healthy.

"It's not as if you are going to have pre-smoked meat," Atchison said. "It doesn't affect meat quality.… It's more about managing their health and their lungs and their respiratory system."

Jonas Watson, a veterinarian at Winnipeg's Grant Park Animal Hospital, said the adverse health effects caused by poor air quality can also hurt producers' bottom line.

The summer's intense heat can impact an outdoor animal's breathing at the best of times — but add in irritants like smoke and their health can be greatly compromised, he said.

"That can irritate the respiratory system, potentially predisposing [them] to upper and lower respiratory infections, including pneumonias," Watson said, adding that could mean "irreversible damage done to lungs and airways of cattle and other species."

"Hopefully we will not be seeing conditions … where animals like cattle and horses outdoors are adversely affected in the long term."