Clostridial diseases cause rapid, painful death in cattle and are largely preventable through appropriate vaccination programs and management practices.
Clostridial diseases kill rapidly and painfully - blackleg causes agony before death within 12-24 hours, and enterotoxemia causes severe abdominal pain. These deaths are entirely preventable through vaccination. The welfare argument for clostridial vaccination programs is compelling and straightforward: a simple injection prevents severe suffering and sudden death. Operations that fail to maintain vaccination programs expose their animals to entirely preventable welfare crises. Annual booster compliance and appropriate primary course timing are the critical action points.