The clostridial enterotoxemias can occur in all farm animal species. Clostridium perfringens is a normal inhabitant of the intestinal tract. Under certain conditions the organisms multiply rapidly, producing harmful levels of toxin. Rapidly growing, well fed animals are most susceptible to the disease. Clostridium perfringens Type C has been incriminated as the cause of acute bloody enteritis in young calves and lambs.
Affected animals are usually under three weeks of age and usually found dead.
A postmortem is required to confirm the diagnosis. The disease is prevented by vaccinating lambs in late pregnancy with a Type C toxoid. While most common in lambs, it also occurs in adult sheep, goats and calves. The death loss among affected lambs may be 100 per cent. Sudden deaths in a group of lambs at these two age levels should be viewed with suspicion, and diagnosis entrusted to a qualified veterinarian.