Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Ranchers Should Watch For Backleg In Cattle

by RON MATLOCK

COUNTY AGENT - STAFF CHAIRMAN

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE

There is nothing more horrifying to a cattle producer than to wake up one morning to find his best calf or cow dead.

In some cases the cattle producer may find a number of supposedly healthy calves dead for no apparent reason. Blackleg could be the cause.

The onset of blackleg is sudden, according to the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Arkansas.

Acute lameness, marked depression and swelling in the hip, shoulder, chest, back or neck are a few signs of blackleg. At first the swelling is small, hot and painful and enlarges as the disease progresses. Death usually occurs in 12 to 48 hours.

Commonly, the animals that contract blackleg are in excellent health, gaining weight, and usually the best animal of the group.

When an outbreak occurs, a few new cases are found each day for several days. Most cases occur in cattle from six months to two years of age, but thrifty calves as young as six weeks and cattle as old as 10 to 12 years may be affected.

The disease usually occurs in the summer and autumn months.

Blackleg organisms probably can remain alive in the soil for many years.

Outbreaks of blackleg have occured on cattle farms in which digging or disturbing the soil has occurred. In some rural areas, where new water lines are being installed, the soil disturbance can lead to a blackleg outbreak.

To prevent blackleg, several safe and reliable vaccinations are on the market. Select a vaccine that is commonly referred to as a seven-way. Blackleg belongs to the genus Clostridium, and there are a number of clostridia that affect cattle. A seven-way vaccine is the cattle's best protection.

Read the label for specific instructions, but, generally, calves should be caccinated twice, two weeks apart, between two and six months of age.

The cost of the vaccine ranges from 25 cents to 55 cents per shot. The loss of one calf to blackleg could purchase 727 to 1,600 dosages of blackleg. That would supply the average beef herd in Arkansas with eight to 17 years of blackleg vaccine.

Research by the Cooperative Extension Service has demonstrated that producers can vaccinate pregnant cows 120 days before calving and get enhanced maternal antibody protection in the calves. This may be an important practice if blackleg is a major problem in your area.

The other very important finding in this study was the importance of the second vaccination, or blackleg shot. Don't wait too long to administer the second shot to calves. The calf does receive protection from the first shot, but the protection is gone in abouit 120 days. Therefore, follow the instruction on the label for the proper treatment schedule.

Most blackleg vaccines are approved for subcutaneous injections. It is important that the beef cattle producer follow the recommendations of the NCA Beef Quality Assurance Task Force and administer all injectable products subcutaneously if that route of treatment is approved on the label.

Cattle producers will find some new blackleg vaccines on the market. Some of these have a smaller dosage of 2cc rather that 5cc found in the more traditional products. The 2cc products are just as effective and, as in the case with the Cooperative Extension Study, the 2cc product tested (Alpha-7) provided more protection than a 5cc product.

Don't wait until calves have died to vaccinate your cattle against blackleg. The vaccine is just too cheap not to vaccinate.

Contact your local veterinarian concerning blackleg in your area.