May 2012 Issue |
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IN THIS ISSUE: |
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• Subscribe to Meat Goat Mania • Email Us • Onion Creek Ranch • Bending Tree Ranch • OCR Health & Management Articles • MGM Archive |
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NEW VACCINE APPROVED FOR GOAT NOW AVAILABLE FOR CASEOUS LYMPHADENITIS Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a contagious bacterial infection affecting goats (and sheep). The organism causing CL is called corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Infection occurs through wounds caused by head butting, punctures, and shearing, as well as by oral ingestion of the exudate (pus) from an abscess that has ruptured. The lymph system filters the bacteria from the goat's body and pushes it outside into thick-walled encapsulated abscesses so that it can't harm the goat. Visible abscesses usually don't appear for months after infection as the lymph system slowly filters the bacteria. Most research indicates that the existence of external abscesses being an indication of internal abscesses is much more common in sheep than in goats. Abscesses are attached to the back side of the skin rather than the goat's body. Like so many things about goats, we don't have sufficient research to give definitive answers. CL is much more likely to be spread among goats that are kept in close quarters and in high concentrations. Highly managed herds are a good example, but goats kept on small acreage in crowded conditions are also candidates for the fast spreading of CL. Contaminated equipment such as clippers, ear taggers, scissors, needles, and feed/water troughs can harbor the bacteria and pass it among the goats. Pus from ruptured abscesses can stay in hay, soil, and equipment for months, depending upon climatic conditions. Hot and dry weather kills the bacteria faster than wet and/or cold. The disease is not painful to the goat but is a big management nuisance to goat producers. Although considered incurable, CL can be readily managed. Texas Vet Lab Inc. of San Angelo, Texas, is proud to announce US Government approval of its new vaccine to protect against CL in goats. I am pleased that TVL's owner Jim Bob Harris is allowing me to make this announcement in MeatGoatMania in May 2012. Mr. Harris knows how long I've been encouraging vaccine manufacturers to work on the development of a vaccine against CL that is approved for use in goats and how much this means to the meat goat industry. My goats participated in the field trials of the vaccine in summer 2011. Texas Vet Lab Inc. has been granted a conditional license from the US Government to sell this vaccine in the United States. TVL is in the process of sending this license to state veterinary officials in all 50 states to obtain instructions under which it can be sold in each state. As of this writing (May 16, 2012), Texas has granted over-the-counter approval of sales, and Jeffers Livestock is working diligently to have the vaccine available for customers to purchase as soon as each state tells TVL of its requirements. This should be accomplished within about 30 days. The CL vaccine for goats should not be used on pregnant or lactating does nor should it be used on kids under three months of age nor should it be used on sheep. It must be kept refrigerated but not allowed to freeze or get hot. Shake before each use, but if the ingredients separate in the bottom of the bottle and the liquid at its base is brown, know that the vaccine has been compromised and must be thrown away. Normal liquid separation takes place at the top of the bottle. As each state issues its conditions for sale, I will be providing updated information to goat producers through ChevonTalk, my meat-goat education group on Yahoogroups, and in future issues of MeatGoatMania. The TVL website, www.texasvetlab.com, offers a chart indicating state approvals and requirements that are regularly updated under the link "Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis Bacterin Information." FOR A CURRENT LIST OF STATES WHERE THE VACCINE IS AVAILABLE PLEASE CLICK HERE. The availability for each state will be updated as it happens. All goat producers should be grateful to Texas Vet Lab Inc and Jim Bob Harris for developing this vaccine. Diligent use of the vaccine can eradicate this disease from the goat industry in a very short timeframe. Suzanne W. Gasparotto, Onion Creek Ranch, Texas 5/17/12 |
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