[Jacob-list] Reply on Overeaters Disease

[Neal and Louise Grose]

Hi,
I hate to sound as though I am weighing in on every issue...oh, what the heck. I have a hard time believing that "organic" farming would have much effect on clostridia infections. 

Overeating is one of the eight or so Clostridia diseases. These bacteria are common in soils and are often opportunistic infections that kill off the host after other injury. Death from "Overeaters", for example, follows ulceration of the digestive tract after stuffing themselves. Clostridium perfringens has been implicated in Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome (the name is no more scary than the disease) and may be secondary to inflammation from eating moldy feed. Tetanus and Botulism are more commonly known infections in this group. Malignant edema speaks for itself and is only treated with near fatal doses of penicillin. Blackleg is not uncommon in cattle and can easily infect sheep. (The first symptom is usually death.) If you are on a farm where cattle or horses have been present in the last 50 to 100 years, the soil may be loaded with spores for these things. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Or at least reasonably afraid.

Jacob sheep may well be less susceptible to these diseases than are other breeds, but if so it is due to less exposure and not more resistance. I recommend to anyone that buys sheep from me that they vaccinate with 8-way Clostridia.

Neal Grose
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