Using the combined clostridial vaccine to prevent the most serious welfare emergencies in sheep flocks.
Clostridial diseases cause welfare emergencies of extreme severity and rapidity. Pulpy kidney (enterotoxaemia from Clostridium perfringens type D) kills fast-growing lambs within hours — often the best lambs in the flock are found dead without premonitory signs. Tetanus causes progressive, agonising muscle spasm that can last days before death. Lamb dysentery causes profuse haemorrhagic enteritis and rapid death in neonates.
The welfare case for vaccination is unambiguous — prevention eliminates these welfare catastrophes entirely in vaccinated animals. The 8-in-1 clostridial vaccine is one of the most cost-effective and welfare-effective interventions in sheep farming. Ewe vaccination 4-6 weeks pre-lambing generates colostral antibody levels that protect lambs through their most vulnerable early weeks.
Lambs should receive their own primary vaccination course (two injections, 4-6 weeks apart) before the maternal immunity wanes. Annual booster vaccination of adults maintains protective antibody levels. Purchased sheep require full primary vaccination if their vaccination history is unknown.