Remember to use caution when dealing with any infected or suspicious animal. Wear gloves!
What can I do to prevent my goat or sheep from getting CL?
Quarantine all new goats. Look them over carefully for scars or signs of past abscesses. Be wary of any animals that cough frequently or have trouble gaining weight. Try not to bring CL to your farm in the first place.
Once CL is identified in your herd, you may decide to vaccinate your other animals. Colorado Serum Company has some commercial CL vaccines for sheep, but because there are thousands of strains of the bacteria, I would suggest having a vaccine made yourself from the contents of an abscess. Although these vaccines tend to cause temporary painful side effects, they are often highly effective, especially in newborn kids.
Whatever you do, don’t ignore the possibility of CL. If left untreated, it will make meat, milk, or fiber from your animals nearly impossible to sell. It will condemn your herd and cause suffering to your animals. Although Caseous Lymphadenitis cannot be cured, it can be avoided and dealt with effectively if you understand what it is and what it does.
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