Table 3.

Summary of current best-practice Clostridium perfringens toxoid vaccine recommendations for disease prevention, based on review of the literature

Species and Age Group	Type of Vaccine	Timing and Frequency of Vaccination	Reasoning and Type of Immunity Induced
Bred heifers and adult cows, both beef and dairy	• C perfringens type C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•Initial immunization followed by booster 3–4 wk later •Second dose (and additional boosters) 2–3 wk before calving107	•Provides immunity against the beta and epsilon toxins in calves via colostral transfer •Enteric immunity from anti–beta toxin colostral antibody during the first 2 wk of life is critical in preventing disease from types B and C, because trypsin inhibitors in colostrum prevent denaturation of beta toxin •Systemic immunity from anti–epsilon toxin antibodies are effective at neutralizing systemically absorbed epsilon toxin and preventing neurologic signs from type D ± type B infections
	• C perfringens type A	•Initial immunization followed by booster in 2–4 wk, then: •Yearly 2–4 wk before calving	• C perfringens C and D toxoid vaccines are not designed to specifically stimulate an immune response against alpha toxin and usually are not considered effective at preventing abomasitis or enteritis caused by type A •May be particularly important in farms with a history of type A outbreaks in calves •Might also be useful in adult cows on dairies with a history of HBS
Feedlot cattle	• C perfringens types C and D, 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•At arrival and 30 d later, or: •Initial immunization and booster 3–4 wk apart before arrival	•Potential reduction in death loss •7-way vaccines may induce decreased feed intake and larger injection-site lesions after booster compared with C and D vaccines
Beef and dairy calves (particularly from herds with previous C perfringens type C or D outbreaks)	• C perfringens types C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•3–6 mo of age •Initial immunization followed by booster 3–4 wk later	•In cattle, classic type D disease most commonly observed in older, weaned animals on high-concentrate feed •Maternal antibodies may have decreased to nonprotective levels by this age
Adult sheep	• C perfringens types C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•Initial series of 2 doses 3–4 wk apart, then yearly boosters94	•Provides immunity against beta and epsilon toxins
Bred ewes	• C perfringens types C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•Yearly booster 3–4 wk before lambing	•Provides immunity in lambs against epsilon toxin for up to 12 wk
Lambs from vaccinated dams	• C perfringens types C and D	•8–12 wk of age and booster 3–4 wk later	•Feeder lambs and replacement ewe lambs should receive boosters again before feedlot entry or being placed on high-grain diet
Lambs from unvaccinated dams or with suspected FPT	• C perfringens types C and D	•1–3 wk of age •Booster twice: 3–4 wk and 6–8 wk later94	•Feeder lambs and replacement ewe lambs should receive boosters again before feedlot entry or being placed on high-grain diet
Adult goats and kids	• C perfringens types C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•>2 immunizations per year •3 immunizations per year, with initial booster dose 3–4 wk later	•May still only provide partial protection •Type D disease most common in goats, and is not prevented by 2 doses of multivalent ovine enterotoxemia vaccines •This may in part be caused by minimal antibody excretion into GI tract in localized enterocolitis in goats vs systemic antibody protection needed in sheep because of effects of absorbed epsilon toxin
Bred does	• C perfringens types C and D, or 7-way or 8-way vaccines	•One of the yearly boosters given 3–4 wk before kidding	—

Abbreviation: FPT, failure of passive transfer.