FEEDLOT PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT UPDATE - INJECTION-SITE REACTIONS TO THE USE OF CLOSTRIDIAL VACCINES

Effective herd-health programs depend on drugs and vaccines administer ed periodically to prevent and treat infectious disease. Such injectio ns can result in tissue damage to the muscles of the top sirloin butt; a significant reduction in tenderness can occur as far as 3 inches fr om the center of the lesion. this type of muscle damage is a quality-c ontrol problem and results in large financial losses for the beef indu stry. solutions to this problem involve veterinarians and producers li miting the number of clostridial vaccinations administered to an anima l and controlling the route of administration (subcutaneous, intramusc ular, or intravenous). The producers of biologic products also should be involved in the solution; less irritating adjuvants will diminish t he risk of reactions and the incidence of injection-site blemishes.