Tuesday, December 22, 2009

CD-T vaccinations

Vaccines are "cheap" insurance against diseases that commonly affect sheep and goats. It is generally recommended that healthy sheep and goats be vaccinated against clostridium perfringins type C and D (overeating disease) and tetanus.

Ewes and does should be vaccinated during their last month of pregnancy so that their offspring acquire passive (temporary) immunity from the colostrum (first milk). Passive immunity begins to decline after about four weeks of age. Lambs and kids should receive their first vaccination for CD-T soon thereafter. A common recommendation is to vaccinate lambs and kids when they are approximately 6 and 10 weeks of age.

A pre-lambing vaccination is the only way to provide protection against type C overeating. Lambs and kids whose dams were not vaccinated should be administered the tetanus antitoxin at the time of docking, castrating, and/or disbudding.

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