Blackleg

[Anonymous]

Folks, I'm hoping some of ya'll can help me understand somethings alittle better. First off let me tell you what happened. I lost a 2 year old heifer. Upon examining her the cause of death was ruled Blackleg. Now don't just say it could have been prevented by vaccinating. Cause as my vet knows she was vacinated. Last time was May 18 to be exact. History of the heifer, she was bought last fall at a purebred sale, off from a very reputable breeder. Even after my vet explaining it to me I still don't understand how or why this animal came down with it. I know it stays in the ground along time, and grazing conditions here havn't been very good, cattle see more dirt that they do grass. I have cattle on three farms, this heifer has been on two of them. I have been in the business 15 of my 22 years and have never had any trouble before. Thank you for your comments and opinions.

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[Anonymous]

There are many reasons that vaccine's don't work. Was the vaccine stored properly? (Don't leave it in the sun while you run through 200 calves.) Was the syringe properly cleaned? (NO SOAP). Was the plunger properly lubricated? (No vasoline, mineral oil, etc.) Is the vaccination serial number and batch recorded. If so check with the vaccine company. They have paid for losses when vaccine comes from a batch with proven problems. How old was she when first vaccinated for Blackleg? She could have been developing it before her first vaccine. Did the vaccine hit an abscess from a previous needle so the vaccine didn't absorbe? There are so many ways things can go wrong when we try to do everything right.

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[Anonymous]

> Folks, I'm hoping some of ya'll
> can help me understand somethings
> alittle better. First off let me
> tell you what happened. I lost a 2
> year old heifer. Upon examining
> her the cause of death was ruled
> Blackleg. Now don't just say it
> could have been prevented by
> vaccinating. Cause as my vet knows
> she was vacinated. Last time was
> May 18 to be exact. History of the
> heifer, she was bought last fall
> at a purebred sale, off from a
> very reputable breeder. Even after
> my vet explaining it to me I still
> don't understand how or why this
> animal came down with it. I know
> it stays in the ground along time,
> and grazing conditions here havn't
> been very good, cattle see more
> dirt that they do grass. I have
> cattle on three farms, this heifer
> has been on two of them. I have
> been in the business 15 of my 22
> years and have never had any
> trouble before. Thank you for your
> comments and opinions.

I recently "worked " my cattle, and the Vet told me that there had never been a documented case of Blackleg in an animal over 18 months old.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, your vet is wrong. There are several documented cases of susceptible cattle coming down with the disease over 18 months. I personally have seen one. There is more than 1 bacteria which causes blackleg--Clostridium chauvei, novyi or septicum. There are other similar clostridial diseases. If the spores are already in the muscle, and there is inadequate immune response, any source of localized anoxia will cause the disease, no matter what age. The younger animals are much more common, because they bruise each other often in play AND are often inadequately immunized. V

> I recently "worked " my
> cattle, and the Vet told me that
> there had never been a documented
> case of Blackleg in an animal over
> 18 months old.