The main reason calves are vaccinated against clostridial diseases (in 5in1 and 7in1) is to prevent Blackleg disease. Over the years I have seen this disease a number of times in youngstock. Owners usually say “I meant to vaccinate them but I just never got round to it.” It is a dramatic disease. The typical story is the mob comes into the yards for something like drenching, 2 or 3 days later one is found dead in the paddock. The next day two are found dead and the same the next day…Clostridium chauvei, the cause of blackleg, lives in the animals in tiny amounts, but when there is a bit of muscle bruising the bacteria loves those conditions and multiplies heaps.
Newsletter – Sept 2022
