Blackleg Positive?

[Stocker Steve]

I had a purchased heifer come up lame and she was dead the next day. I paid the vet to post her and she was positive for blackleg. I do vaccinate with 7 way once a year, but she was only vaccinated the week before she died...

How does black leg get carried from farm to farm, and what should I do with the carcass? Rendering outfit here will not take them after they are posted.

 

[Caustic Burno]

That's an oh crap for sure. Here you go from Merick

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index ... d=blackleg

 

[Stocker Steve]

She was the fattest animal on the place, and I had a locker plant appointment for her.

Looks from the post like it is carried in the GI tract?

 

[Aaron]

There is a protocol to follow when dealing with the carcass, but I would opt for the typical anthrax carcass disposal protocol. 12 foot hole, backfill with contaminated sod from under carcass, cover with 1 foot of lime and then complete fill with gravel/sand.

Did your vet get the sample isolated for the strain of blackleg? Your close enough to our area that I would bet that your in need of going to a 9-way blackleg.

 

[KNERSIE]

Which strain? Make sure the 7 way you use have the said strain (don't ak me why I say this )

Vaccinating without booster shot 4-6 weeks later for the initial vaccination is not worth the time it took to vaccinate in the first place. Typically it takes about two weeks for the animal to get full immunity from the vaccination.

 

[vclavin]

Vaccines are not a guarantee, had a 9 year old cow die from blackleg and she had been vaccinated for it for years. Vet says vaccinating is not a guarantee but much better/wiser than not vaccinating. Buried her deep and used lime .
Valerie