Blackleg

Today we look at the importance of vaccinating our cattle against potentially fatal diseases. Blackleg is an infectious disease most commonly caused by the bacteria Clostridium chauvoei.

These bacteria survive in the environment and pasture as durable spores for many years. The bacteria are ingested by grazing cattle, enter the blood stream and lodge in the muscle. The bacteria cause inflammation of the muscle, the muscle then becomes toxic and usually at this point leads to rapid death.