Clostridial diseases inflict heavy losses among livestock in Alberta every year.
The family of bacteria, Clostridia, are responsible for these diseases. They generally cause a fatal infection when they enter the animal's body. The bacteria are capable of living for years in the soil because of their ability to form spores, which protect them from the action of the weather. Blackleg Blackleg is a disease of cattle, and less frequently of sheep, caused by the soil-borne bacterium, Clostridium chauvei . The disease develops rapidly in affected animals and often deaths occur before the owner has noticed any sickness in the herd.