Clostridia are as common as dirt on farms. In fact, they’re found in the dirt
These Gram-positive, anaerobic, spore-forming bacteria are often found in soil and manure, or in feedstuffs that have been contaminated, according to Dr. Luke Miller, veterinary elite dairy advisor at Alltech.
“Because they’re spore-formers, soil contamination caused by clostridia can last through the winter,” Miller noted. “They can last in the desert, during heat stress, cold stress – all that stuff has very little effect on clostridia.”
One good thing about clostridia is that the bacteria are not transmitted from animal to animal. But because they are ubiquitous to the environment, they often colonize in the digestive tract of cattle, potentially very early in life. Clostridium perfringens is a strain of particular concern in preweaned calves.
Their presence in the gut flora does not necessarily cause problems, unless something changes that triggers a growth spurt. Miller said this could be a dietary change like a calf overeating starch; an external wound; or an internal tissue injury like a liver abscess. In any of these cases, a decrease in or lack of oxygen can quickly create the anaerobic environment that triggers clostridial growth and can cause the bacteria to flourish.
When this happens, the bacteria release damaging toxins that can cause calves to experience inflammation, shock, cardiac arrest, and even death. Miller described the symptoms of clostridia overgrowth as ranging from “ADR – ain’t doin’ right” with general malaise and poor growth; to severe diarrhea and abdominal pain; to rapid-onset bloat and sudden death. Nearly every calf raiser has experienced the frustrating scenario of “fine at one feeding, dead the next,” caused by clostridia.
But there are measures that can help you stay ahead of clostridia in calves, including:
1. Consistent management routines – Feeding calves at the same time, every day, can help prevent clostridia flare-ups. Vigilant cleaning of maternity pens and calf housing environments also can help. And, if possible, avoid calves going off feed, as “slug feeding” can trigger clostridia proliferation.
2. Vaccination – Vaccinating dams and performing excellent colostrum delivery is the most effective way to confer clostridium immunity in young calves. Miller said the selected strains for vaccination may vary according to regional pathogenic loads, but might include enterotoxemia, blackleg, redwater, and tetanus. Older heifers – particularly those on pasture – may require direct vaccination against clostridia organisms.
3. Feeding functional organisms – Enhancing the gut microbiome with direct-fed microbials has been shown to tame clostridia in both research and practice. Prebiotics, probiotics, and/or postbiotics may help create a favorable gut environment that supports beneficial bacteria that compete with clostridia, regulate pH, and/or promote healthy digestion.
To the third point, a study published in the journal Antibiotics compared the responses of calves fed two separate probiotic products compared to non-treated controls when challenged directly with an oral dose of Clostridium perfringens. Both products significantly reduced the incidence and severity of diarrhea while improving general impression and appearance scores of calves. Additionally, 60% (6/10) of the non-treated controls died, while only 2/10 died in one of the treatment groups, and 0/10 died in the other.
A Chinese study in which the probiotic Bacillus subtilis natto was added directly into the milk ration of preweaned Holstein calves showed the supplemented calves had improved average daily gain and feed efficiency compared to control calves. And a Japanese study showed that supplementing the milk replacer ration of newborn calves with Bacillus subtilis C-3102 promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria in the rumen microbiota, which could contribute to the improvement of feed efficiency after weaning.
Consult your veterinarian and nutritionist to devise a plan to best control clostridia in your calves.
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