Anyone else losing calves?

[9 ER]

Talked to my aunt this weekend. She lives in central Texas(Blum) and she said that they has lost a couple of newborn calves and 4 baby goats to blackleg. She believes that with all the rain during the winter and now, it has caused germs and bacteria to come up out of the saturated ground.
Does this sound right and if this is so, has anyone else lost any calves or baby goats because of this?

 

[Scotty]

I am not but a guy on the other side of the county is. I atribute this to him never blk leg vac. befor. And he has had several years of it.


Scotty

 

[jerry27150]

why don't they vaccinate them quickly?

 

[denoginnizer]

How old do they have to be to get vaccanated for Black leg?

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

How old do they have to be to get vaccanated for Black leg?

We vaccinate all of our new calves for 1st series at about 3-4 months and for 2nd series at weaning, about 6-7 months. We do blackleg, two other vaccinations plus de-worming on all of our calves. Then, their 1st annual renewal the next year.

 

[9 ER]

Jerry wrote

why don't they vaccinate them quickly?

They vaccinate and de-worm all of them in the spring.

 

[CKC1586]

I have heard of several folks having trouble with crypto (no clue how it is supposed to be spelled) but they get weak and have raging runs.

 

[jerry27150]

vet told me to vaccinate some of mine at a day old one time, it also keeps them from getting one type of scours that we had at the time. said a lot of guys do this

 

[TheBullLady]

We lost a big steer years back to Blackleg. I didn't hear anything about the rain being a concern, but I have read that recent excavating can bring it up out of the soil.

Has your aunt had a new tank dug recently? A fence row bull dozed?

 

[Beefy]

yeah its usually "unearthed" in times of drought, heavy rain, or excavation. i always assumed it was due to erosion in times of heavy rain though.

 

[Farminlund]

The only time it hit me was in the record breaking drought of '02 - black leg got a 4-5 month old steer calf then. We have tried to vacinate since that loss about that same time (4-5 months of age) - nothing since.

 

[G.Marc Renwick]

The common denominators for most Clostrisdial diseases(Blackleg,Type C,etc.) are heavy rain and the first spring warm-up.This is usually late Feb. and March here in Carolina.This is a soil pathogen with weather resistant endospores that get cranked up when conditions are right.Vaccination gives near 100% protection ,so vaccinate calves very early if you have a history ,the time,or the good sense.Cheapest insurance in the world with $1.50 + calves.Most cows should be fine if calfhood vaccinated.

 

[G.Marc Renwick]

Forgot to say that another source of Clostridial pathogens would be any kind of poultry litter. Especially when applied in the Spring.

 

[Medic24]

Sorry to hear about your aunt the 9 er, but she is behind the eightball now, the very best thing she can do is go out and vacinate everything else pronto.

On occasion, an animal can be saved, or so I am told it you catch it, with massive doses of penicillen, but it is a very nasty and fast acting disease, so one usually is way to late.

You can be almost positive about the diagnosis if you feel the legs etc, right after death, and it is 'crinkly'. A tell tale sign. burry it or burn it where it lays. otherwise you are dragging the infection all over Gods green earth for others to catch.

Good Luck to your aunt.

 

[Farminlund]

How do these Clostridial pathogens pass from the soil to the animal :?:
This is a bacterial disease - correct - thus the comment from Medic24 that massive doses of penicillin can cure it.
How does one know it is blackleg prior to death? In my case the calf was down & my vet said to bring it to the animal health clinic for a necropsy (they put it down for real).

 

[Scotty]

The guy I know is a part timer. He is weathy and lives in Ft. Worth and comes to hi "Ranch" on Thursday PM and stays the weekend. To give you a little history. He raises horses. He had a blk mare bred to a blk stud. Got a dark brown colt. Probly turn blk, I don't know. It died and when the vet came out he pulled him to the side and asked if he thought someone came and switched babies. Because "Lord knows a blk mare and a blk stud will always have a blk baby." :lol:
To anser the question, he doesn't have the first dang clue of what is going on.

Scotty

 

[G.Marc Renwick]

Just as with parasite eggs , Clostridium is contracted by grazing.The closer the pasture the greater chance of ingesting soil.Tetanus and gangrene (both Clost.) enter thru wounds.How do you know they have it ? Usually too late.Kills as quick or quicker than most any pathogen.Sometimes as little as 24 hours.Acute bloody scours may be only sign of type C .Classic blackleg is crinkly darkened skin.Necropsy will show gross hemorrhaging.If you don't take this disease seriously.Think botulism,gangrene,tetanus.Please vaccinate.

 

[Medic24]

Blackleg is in fact a bacterium, and can be treated as such. The vet. manual from Dr. Bruce Haynes, on page 171, reads that in fact penicillen is the treatment for blackleg. If you confirm even one case of it in your herd, assume all the others have or will get it and treat accordingly, as this disease is very fast acting (acute) and is almost 100% fatal to what ever catches it.
If in fact you are able to save any cattle that contract it, you are likely to have a lame animal that sheds the disease on and off for the rest if it's life!
This is definately one of those times when prevention is worth the little effort and money it would cost you. :cboy:

Good Luck! :cboy:

 

[Crowderfarms]

Have friend here that has lost three calves in less than 3 weeks! TOO cheap to call a Vet out!!! He says all developed bloody scours.He called a Vet on the phone and she said to give them streptomycin...an over the counter med. What great advice.Of course it did not work.Penny wise pound foolish.

 

[Medic24]

hey Crowder...to bad some folks fail to pick up a calculator......at the very least at these market prices, your neighbor lost 1500 bucks!
That is not to mention the suffering of the calves before they die.

Sounds like he has something going though his herd......maybe one or more of several common pathigens.

Sure would have been worth some better meds and vaccines then that eh? :cboy: