Mark van der List, DVM, shares information that refreshes our understanding of clostridial diseases. These insidious bacteria are opportunistic and may lie dormant for years before showing up usually in the form of a dead animal. van der list shares three key management practices to help combat the clostridial nemeses:
- Vaccination
- Maternal antibodies for calves
- Thoughtful feeding practices
Source: Dairy Business, February 26, 2021. Link. The sites most vulnerable to clostridial diseases are the muscle, intestines and liver.
The disease associated with an infection of the muscle is most commonly known as blackleg and is caused by the bacteria Clostridium chauvoei and Clostridium sordellii. In the intestinal tract, perfringens is the disease caused by Clostridium perfringens types A, C and D.
“Less common are the clostridial diseases associated with the liver, but these are caused by Clostridium novyi types B and D,” said Dr. van der List.