Type EE blackleg

[denvermartinfarms]

As some of you know about a year ago I moved from the place that I had lived on most of my life, I still lease it and have cattle there and sevarel other places, our new place is where I mostly feed my weaned calves and run a small herd of about 25 cows. In the last year I have lost about 20% if the calves born here at the new place.

Before this I had never had any blackleg in my cattle, but I always gave all my calves a 7 way and type A shot when I worked them and when I weaned. When we got here to the new place I started losing healthy calves at 7 to 14 days old, so then I cought most every calf born and at 7 days or less I gave them shots, so far that was working.

This morning one of the calves I hadn't cought at birth was dead at about 2 months old, still fresh enough to have autopsy done, I hadn't found any of the others quick enough to have one checked before.

My vet cuts him open and starts checking things and finds blackleg and alot of fibers, he says it may be type EE blackleg, there is no vaccination for EE, type A and 7 way together can work on it, but often don't.

He says if the next calf born gets both shots at 5 days and again 2 weeks later and still dies he can do some more tests ( that he couldn't do on this one today ) and tell for sure. There is no way to get it out of the ground if it's here.

So today I pretty much found out that it's very possible I may have to sell my farm and move because I have something that there is nothing you can do about.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Wow. That's not a great way to start the new year. I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe, with any luck, you won't have to go to that extreme. Either way, I wish I had a solution to your problem.

Katherine

 

[cross_7]

DM I aint so sure about that. I aint a vet but blackleg typically doesn't cause a problem that young, but not to say it couldn't.
Why if a vaccine is not available aren't the cows infected ?
I'd do some more checking

 

[cross_7]

On the others are you seeing blackleg signs ?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

DM I aint so sure about that. I aint a vet but blackleg typically doesn't cause a problem that young, but not to say it couldn't.
Why if a vaccine is not available aren't the cows infected ?
I'd do some more checking

Older cows are not as likely to get it like this. They defiantly can get it at this age.

I will do more checking, but so far it's been pretty hard to find anything or anyone else that knows about type EE.

My vet has been in the business for over 50 years, his dad was a vet before him and his brother and son are vets. I have had alot of unusual problems over the years and I can call this guy and tell him what's going on over the phone and he can tell me what to do, and has never missed anything I've ever had yet. He's known to be about the best cattle guy in this area, so I have to think he's close on this. But I'm open to any information I can get and I'm trying to learn everything I can about this particular type right now.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

On the others are you seeing blackleg signs ?

All the other calves at this place have been vaccinated atleast once and the ones that haven't we did today. All the ones that have died were sudden and showed all the signs of blackleg, but this is the first one we did an autopsy on.

 

[Bigfoot]

Maybe lucky will see this thread. I'm sure your vet knows his stuff, but I would also want one processed at a diagnostic lab.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Maybe lucky will see this thread. I'm sure your vet knows his stuff, but I would also want one processed at a diagnostic lab.

That's the plan if it keeps up. I have to have some really strong proof before selling the farm.

 

[cross_7]

On the others are you seeing blackleg signs ?

All the other calves at this place have been vaccinated atleast once and the ones that haven't we did today. All the ones that have died were sudden and showed all the signs of blackleg, but this is the first one we did an autopsy on.

The dead ones do they have a sweat smell to them ?
What are the blackleg signs you're seeing ?

The way I understand it they pickup the spores through the nasal passage and mostly through grazing
That's why it becomes a problem as they get older and grazing

 

[denvermartinfarms]

On the others are you seeing blackleg signs ?

All the other calves at this place have been vaccinated atleast once and the ones that haven't we did today. All the ones that have died were sudden and showed all the signs of blackleg, but this is the first one we did an autopsy on.

The dead ones do they have a sweat smell to them ?
What are the blackleg signs you're seeing ?

The way I understand it they pickup the spores through the nasal passage and mostly through grazing
That's why it becomes a problem as they get older and grazing

They have all had a frothy and sometimes bloody foam at the anus and mouth they have also had alot of gas under the skin. This one today had white fibers around the intestine area. If it's in the ground pretty bad they don't have to get it from grazing.

 

[cross_7]

It sure sounds like it but I'm still suspicious

 

[denvermartinfarms]

It sure sounds like it but I'm still suspicious

My vet didn't say for sure it was EE but just that the way the inside looked it sure could be, I hope this is the first time he has been wrong with something of mine.

 

[Aaron]

What does EE stand for?

 

[kenny thomas]

Denver, 3 or 4 years ago I started vaccinating even the older cows with 7 way at the recommendation of Lucky P and a couple other vets. It is believed it gives some extra protection to the calves until they are old enough to be vaccinated at 3 months or so. You might try it. I do have blackleg on 3 of my farms but never have any problems since I started doing this.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Denver, 3 or 4 years ago I started vaccinating even the older cows with 7 way at the recommendation of Lucky P and a couple other vets. It is believed it gives some extra protection to the calves until they are old enough to be vaccinated at 3 months or so. You might try it. I do have blackleg on 3 of my farms but never have any problems since I started doing this.

I started giving both blackleg shots to everything on every place about 8 months ago and 6 months before this calf was born.

 

[kenny thomas]

Wow, I have never had it in a calf younger than about 8 months so I am at a loss as how to help you. I will read up on it some and please tell us what you find out also. Blackleg can be devastating if not controlled.

 

[hillsdown]

We vaccinate everything thing here every year and scour guard the cows too . But if something is in the soil or viral it is hard to project the impact it will make no matter how you try to prepare for it .

Please let us know the report of the necropsy and thank you for sharing all of this with us, it is very much appreciated as a fellow cattle producer .

 

[Lucky_P]

I've never heard of 'type EE blackleg', and haven't been able to find any references to it.
Blackleg is caused by Clostridium chaovoei. No variable types that I'm aware of.

There is a type E Clostridium perfringens which can cause necrotizing enteritis/enterotoxemia in neonatal calves; no vaccine/toxoid commercially available.
C.perfringens is part of the normal gut flora - and ALL C.perfringens can produce type A toxin - but not necessarily the others (B, C, D, E)

 

[Black and Good]

Man that bites. I wish you the best, keep us posted. B&G

 

[NC Liz 2]

denvermartinfarms

As you feed protein tubs and it is a known fact that "
Cattle that are on a high plane of nutrition," "are most susceptible to the disease " of blackleg and
protein tubs can also cause symptoms that mimic blackleg.
Also it is known that protein tubs can be toxic and can cause all kinds of problems as many toxins are passive,
I would recommend you take a serious look at your cattle's complete diet.
Liz
See: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=88871