CD-T vaccinations

Vaccines are “cheap” insurance against diseases that commonly affect sheep and goats. It is generally recommended that sheep and goats be vaccinated against three clostridial diseases: clostridium perfringins type C and D and clostridium tetani (tetanus). Clostridia bacteria are normal inhabitants of the soil and sometimes the animal’s gut.

Clostridium perfringins is more commonly called enterotoxemia or overeating disease.  Type C primarily affects lambs and kids during their first few weeks of life.  Type D (pulpy kidney disease) affects lambs and kids that are usually over a month of age, particularly those that are creep-fed or finished on concentrate diets.

CD-T toxoid is the vaccine usually used to protect healthy sheep and goats against the three aforementioned clostridial diseases. There is also an 8-way vaccine that provides protection against five more clostridial diseases, but the extra protection is usually not necessary on most sheep and goat farms.

The CD-T toxoid should be administered to ewes and does during their last month of pregnancy.  If pregnant females have never been vaccinated for CD-T (or their vaccination status is unknown), they require two inoculations, approximately four weeks apart. 

Pre-lambing vaccinations provide protection to newborn lambs and kids when they consume the colostrum (first milk). The passive immunity that lambs and kids acquire from the colostrum begins to decline after approximately four weeks of age.

Consequently, lambs and kids should receive their first vaccinations for CD-T shortly thereafter, followed by a booster four weeks later.  A common practice is to vaccinate lambs and kids at approximately 6 and 10 weeks of age.

However, if the dam was not vaccinated at least two weeks before she lambed, lambs and kids should be given the tetanus antitoxin at the time of docking, castrating, and/or disbudding. An antitoxin provides immediate short-term immunity.

Lambs and kids from unvaccinated dams should receive their first vaccination for type D overeating disease when they are approximately 3 to 4 weeks of age.  A pre-lambing vaccination is the only way to protect lambs and kids from type C, though the antitoxin could be administered in the event of a disease outbreak.

The CD-T vaccine is administered subcutaneously (under the skin) by pulling up a handful of skin to make a “tent,” and sliding the needle into the base of the tent and pressing the plunger. Subcutaneously injections can be given high in the neck, in the axilla (arm pit) region, or over the ribs.  

Sometimes, an abscess will develop at the injection site. For this reason, the axilla is often the best injection site, especially for market lambs and goats and show animals.

All vaccines should be stored and used according to the manufacturer’s label. Needles used to vaccinate animals should not be used to draw vaccine into the syringe. Needles should be changed frequently. An 18-gauge needle is suitable for CD-T vaccinations.

Copyright © 2009.

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Additional reading
Understanding vaccination programs (timing is everything) - by Joe Rook
The use of vaccines in sheep - University of Minnesota
Vaccination schedules to raise antibody concentrations . . . - Cornell University
Enterotoxemia (overeating disease) in sheep and goats - Alabama Extension
Enterotoxemia (overeating disease) of lambs - Iowa State University
Is it necessary to vaccinate goats against overeating disease and tetanus? - NC State University
Preventing overeating disease in lambs
Tetanus in sheep and goats - Queensland, Australia

Created or last updated by Susan Schoenian on 21-Dec-2009 .