Vigilance urged as blackleg and lead poisoning cases rise

Blackleg is common, and the best control is prevention by vaccination.

Cases of blackleg are now being seen by the regional veterinary laboratories, and the Department of Agriculture's animal health surveillance unit has alerted farmers to be on guard against blackleg, and against lead poisoning, also commonly a disease of late spring and early summer.

Blackleg is an acute, usually fatal disease of cattle and sheep, caused by the production of toxins by anaerobic soil-dwelling bacteria called clostridia.