Effective immunization of lambs against enterotoxaemia

Abstract

In contrast to adult sheep, 2- to 3-month-old lambs do not respond well to a single injection of Clostridium perfringens Type D oil adjuvant epsilon toxoid. This unresponsiveness can be overcome, however, by administering 2 injections of oil adjuvant vaccine or one injection of oil adjuvant followed 4 weeks later by an injection of alum-precipitated toxoid. The latter procedure evokes protective antitoxin levels which persist for 8 months, and a booster injection of alum-precipitated toxoid given at this stage results in an immunity which lasts for at least 1 year.