Evening Star Farm lÔ
Big, Bold, Beautiful, Power-House Boer Goats in North East Texas!
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Big, Bold, Beautiful, Power-House Boer Goats in North East Texas!
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The C D & T Vaccination The most common vaccination given to goats is probably the "C D & T Vaccination." This vaccine helps the animal build an active immunity against three of the most common diseases caused by Clostridium perfrigens. What are Clostridium organisms (Clostridium perfringens)?
Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive anaerobic spore-forming bacterium known to be the most widely distributed pathogen in nature. While the bacterium can only survive in anaerobic conditions, its spores can survive for and extended period of time in the presence of oxygen. It is commonly found in the environment (in soil and sewage) and in the intestines of animals and humans as a member of the normal flora. Once an animal contracts a disease caused by Clostridium perfringens it’s often too late to do anything about it. Death comes quickly and violently. This type of bacteria, occurring in five different strains identified by toxin type, produces a host of toxic proteins; nearly twenty have been described scientifically and there may be more. These toxins can act rapidly in the body, causing severe diarrhea, dysentery, gangrene, muscle infections and various other forms of enteric (gut) disease. The symptoms vary in intensity and variety depending on the individual toxin and its host. Type C & D Clostridium Perfringens Clostridium perfringens Type C can cause enteritis with scours, including bloody scours, in goats. Overeating Disease or Overeaters Disease is a specific disease caused by an overgrowth of Clostridium perfrigens Type D. Overeaters Disease is actually caused by: 1.) acute carbohydrate engorgement in ruminants (grain or concentrated feed overload); and, 2.) enterotoxemia due to Clostridium perfringens Type D. Clostridium tetani (The "T" in C D & T)
Tetanus is another disease caused by a clostridium organism. Tetanus is an acute, often fatal, infectious disease caused by a neurotoxin (tetanospasmin) produced by Clostridium tetani, whose spores enter the body through wounds. The symptoms of Tetanus include muscle spasms and lockjaw. Newborn Kids and Passive Immunity The term “Passive Immunity” often refers to a temporary form of acquired immunity in baby goats in which the antibodies against a disease are acquired naturally from the dam (mother) through the placenta to an unborn kid. Being born with a strong passive immunity is very important to the survival of goat kids. For this reason, we booster our does with a vaccine against the Clostridium perfringens about a month before they are due to kid. The passive immunity of animals can also be strengthened by giving it "antitoxins" or "antiserums" which are blood serum products that contain super-activated antibodies against a specific diseases. These antibodies assist the body's own immune response in fighting off an infection. Common anti-toxin products are: "Clostridium Perfringens Types C & D antitoxin", "Tetanus antitoxin", and "Poly Serum" which contains antibodies against organisms that frequently cause pneumonia. The Growing Kid and Active Immunity As time passes, the "Passive Immunity" wanes and the kid develops its own "Active Immunity" against diseases. An "Active Immunity" is one developed as a result of an animal being exposed to an infective organism and its immune system responses to the invasion by developing antibodies against that organism. Through the use of vaccines, the immune system can be exposed to controlled amounts of infective material(s) (such as Clostridium Perfringens Types C & D and Tetanus) in order to stimulate the development of antibodies. Currently, a common recommendation is to start kids on a vaccination program at the age of one month. However, it is also known that the immune systems of young kids do not respond well to the exposure to multiple infective agents. For this reason, it is recommended that kids be given a simple C, D & T vaccination and booster rather than starting them on an 8-Way or "BlackLeg" vaccine. If a producer lives in area where the use of an 8-way vaccine, it is often recommended that kids be started on that vaccine when they are at least 6 months of age. |
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