During November and December, sheep producers across Saskatchewan noticed an unusual number of stillbirths, abortions, and lambs born with skeletal deformities. Vets and producers suspected Cache Valley Virus (CVV), a mosquito-borne viral disease common in North America, as
the cause. In response, the Disease Investigation Unit at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (WCVM) launched a project to encourage producers to send affected lambs for examination at Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS). This project was funded by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. An additional local disease investigation was led by Dr. Fritz Schumann (WCVM) and Dr. Kyla Cutts (Warman Veterinary Services) and focused on several affected flocks near Saskatoon.