Anthrax questions

[Stonebones]

What do ya'll know about anthrax? What do you do about it?

[Jon-Paul]

I know the shots hurt. my arm felt like it was on fire then had some numbness in it. Other than that couldnt tell you much.

[Stonebones]

I mean what do you do about it if it is present on your hunting lease?

[Smart]

I mean what do you do about it if it is present on your hunting lease?

From what am told you can do nothing much to stop it...but be careful and do not touch infected animals..

Where is your lease?

[smokin feathers]

Burning the remains when possible will help with spreading it. You could try to feed up off the ground in a trough, they pick the spores up from the ground. Dealt with it at loma alta back 9 years ago. Had 9 deer left on 5000 acres, doesnt seem to affect aoudad or sheep.

[Burntorange Bowhunter]

Ehhhhh, I never really liked them as much as Slayer, Megadeth or Metallica....too much singing.

[Winman]

Burning the remains when possible will help with spreading it. You could try to feed up off the ground in a trough, they pick the spores up from the ground. Dealt with it at loma alta back 9 years ago. Had 9 deer left on 5000 acres, doesnt seem to affect aoudad or sheep.

We were in the same area.According to the P&w dept. the outbreaks occur usually in the spring following a wet fall and winter. This is because the spores never die unless they are burned in fire...they infect the ground as the animal deterioates and then coat the forbes and grass that come up in that location...then an animal eats the grass/forbes and contracts the disease and dies.If it isn't burned it starts the cycle again...and you don't find most of the dead animals so that whole country is contaminated with it...if a ranch has had it once ,chances are it will break out again ...5-7 years id what we were told.We were on The Bar C ranch and were hit back to back 2 years...wipped out the population on about 14000 acres.....so we left...

[holdem]

Ehhhhh, I never really liked them as much as Slayer, Megadeth or Metallica....too much singing.

Yes ! What are they talking about anyhow ??? A social disease ???

[Sticks&Strings]

We have had it on the place we bought in Kinney County about 7 years ago. He bought about 5 years ago. The places all around us got hit fairly hard but we did not. It does come after a wet winter followed by a hot dry spring. The two ways to minimize it's affect on you is to not overgraze your proprerty (no fatstock) and to feed a medicated protein in the early spring. The poison of anthrax actually comes out of the soil and the animals inhale it. So the key is to keep their browse as far from the ground/dirt as possible to minimize their inhalation and medicate your protein to help in case they do get some. We have not had an outbreak since we bought the place so hopefully we won't be hurt too much by the next one.

[Brannon74]

Home » Anthrax in Livestock


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TEXAS VET NEWS
By Dr. Bob Judd, DVM and the Texas Farm Bureau
Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network



Anthrax in Livestock


Until 9/11/2001, most Americans had never heard of the disease anthrax, but in the weeks to follow, anthrax was in the news daily due to its possible use as a bioterrorism agent. However, it is not unusual for several cases of naturally occurring anthrax to be diagnosed in livestock and deer each year in Texas. In August of 2003, the first confirmed case of anthrax for the year was documented in a deer near Del Rio. State Veterinarian Dr. Bob Hillman indicated this is not unusual to have a few cases of anthrax in the area bounded by Uvalde, Ozona, and Eagle Pass. Apparently the rains from Hurricane Claudette followed by hot, dry weather triggered the germination of anthrax spores, causing them to migrate to the surface to be ingested by animals. The disease causes severe illness and death in affected animals, followed by quick bloating and blood oozing from body openings. Carcasses of animals suspected of anthrax should not be opened as this increases the spread of the disease.

Anthrax is a reportable disease and suspected cases must be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission. Dr. Hillman indicates that to prevent spreading the disease, the premises of an affected animal will be quarantined for at least 10 days after all livestock have been vaccinated. Ranchers in these areas routinely vaccinate for anthrax although the limit to vaccination is that it is impossible to vaccinate free ranging deer. The Texas Animal Health Commission is also concerned about disposal of carcasses as burning of the carcass, bedding, and manure as well as scorching the surrounding soil is required to kill the bacteria. Ranchers should wear long sleeves and gloves when dealing with infected carcasses or the vaccine. Dr. Hillman indicates the disease is not a concern for travelers through the area as long as they avoid touching carcasses. On our next program, we will look closer at the bacterium that causes anthrax.

Hear the audio of this program at the Texas Farm Bureau Network.

As I mentioned last program, the first case of anthrax in Texas this year was reported in a deer near Del Rio. Today we will look closer at the bacterium bacillus anthracis that causes this disease. Anthrax has been reported worldwide and is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can spread from animals to humans; however, ruminants such as cattle, sheep, goats, and deer are most commonly affected, followed by horses and swine. In ruminants, the disease causes severe illness and sudden death. The bacterium has received greater attention after 9/11 due to its possible use in bioterrorism. The bacterium grows in infected animals but forms resistant spores when exposed to oxygen. These spores are resistant to heat, cold, disinfectants, and dry periods.

Animals are infected by ingesting the spores many times after a rain followed by a dry spell. After ingestion, the spores germinate, multiply, and release toxins. Most ruminants develop the peracute or acute forms of the disease, experience sudden death, or die within 48 hours. Horses usually develop the acute form while dogs, cats, and pigs may develop the chronic form, although carnivores seem to have a natural resistance. In the case of sudden death in any animal, a veterinarian should be called. The carcass of a suspected anthrax animal should not be opened to prevent contamination of the environment. Anthrax carcasses are usually rapidly decomposing with blood oozing from body openings, a lack of rigor mortis, and enlarged spleen. Horses generally have swelling of the neck due to enlarged lymph nodes and the accompanying fluid in the surrounding tissue. Veterinarians and ranchers dealing with the carcasses must be careful to avoid skin contact and to avoid breathing or ingesting the organism.

Hear the audio of this program at the Texas Farm Bureau Network.

[Brannon74]

I was exposed to anthrax about 10 years ago working at the Oklahoma animal disease diagnostic labratory when a sheep w/ anthrax was necropsied. They just put everybody on doxycycline. I would definatly feed off the ground and would not handle any dead carcasses.

[Tommyh]

Amen to the shot! first ***** doesnt feel too bad, then all of a sudden your arm is on fire! The subsequent shots arent any better

[thebomb6_99]

the shots are not as bad as everyone makes them sound