Last week, I posted a picture from a necropsy completed on a cow found dead at my farm.

The disease that killed the cow was identified as the bacterium blackleg, Clostridium chauvoei. An internet search will result in lots of information. The Merck Veterinary Manual, is always a good source: https://www.merckvetmanual.com/generalized-conditions/clostridial-diseases/blackleg.

The following is the report that I received from my veterinarian, Dr. Alex Navarro, DVM, Perry Veterinary Clinc:

“Yes, the bacteria lives in the soil. After ingestion, they seed the muscular tissue of the cow. The bacteria actually cause no disease by themselves and I believe nearly all cattle are infected. However, after an injury to the muscle, these bacteria can rapidly transform to a disease-forming state. Death occurs in 24 hours.

The prevalence of blackleg disease actually varies quite a bit from farm to farm, for reasons we can’t really explain. Generally, disease occurs sporadically and infrequently. Vaccines are effective and very cheap. Preventing disease also involves minimizing opportunities for injury. I have seen cows get this disease after surgery, after being down, and from repeated trauma from being worked through a poorly designed chute. Most beef producers should incorporate blackleg into their vaccine rotation, especially for heifers.”