Clostridial Diseases of Cattle

Abstract

Vaccinating for clostridial diseases is an important part of a ranch health program. These infections can have significant economic impacts on the ranch due to animal losses. There are several diseases caused by different organisms from the genus Clostridia, and most of these are preventable with a sound vaccination program. Many of these infections can progress very rapidly; animals that were healthy yesterday are simply found dead with no observed signs of sickness. In most cases treatment is difficult or impossible, therefore we rely on vaccination to prevent infection. The most common organisms included in a 7-way or 8-way clostridial vaccine are discussed below. By understanding how these diseases occur, how quickly they can progress, and which animals are at risk you will have a chance to improve your herd health and prevent the potential economic losses that come with a clostridial disease outbreak.