Clostridial vaccination protects sheep from preventable diseases including clostridial enterotoxaemia, blackleg, and tetanus that cause rapid death with minimal suffering warning.
Clostridial diseases kill rapidly with limited welfare warning but cause significant suffering in the hours between onset and death. Death rates in unvaccinated flocks can be high during outbreaks. Vaccination is highly effective, inexpensive relative to mortality costs, and straightforward to implement. Ensuring ewe vaccination is current before lambing provides passive immunity to lambs during the highest-risk period, protecting welfare at the most vulnerable life stage.