Vaccinate goats and sheep and feed minerals safely
Clostridial diseases such as pulpy kidney and tetanus kill goats and sheep fast. Vaccination is cheap insurance. Sheep are also easily poisoned by copper.
How
- Use a clostridial vaccine. In the US this is often CD&T (Clostridium perfringens types C and D plus tetanus); in Australia, 5-in-1 vaccines include pulpy kidney.
- Give unvaccinated animals two doses, as the label and your vet direct (SDSU). Agriculture Victoria gives lambs two doses at least four weeks apart, often at marking and weaning.
- Booster adult sheep at least once a year (SDSU).
- Vaccinate ewes about 3 to 4 weeks before lambing, so colostrum passes protection to the lambs (SDSU, Agriculture Victoria).
- Goats may need clostridial boosters more than twice a year, especially young kids, and sheep-labelled vaccines protect goats less reliably. Set a goat schedule with your vet (SDSU).
- Do not feed sheep a mineral mix made for goats or cattle. Sheep are vulnerable to copper toxicity (Oregon State).
- If you keep sheep with goats or cattle, feed sheep a copper-free mineral. Give the others a copper mineral where sheep cannot reach it, such as a raised stand or narrow-entry pen (Oregon State).
Do these first
Sources
- Clostridial disease management and vaccines in sheep and goats. South Dakota State University Extension, accessed 2026-11
- Vaccination: good insurance (Sheep Notes, spring 2024). Agriculture Victoria (Australia), accessed 2026-11
- How to meet mineral needs of livestock on mixed pastures. Oregon State University Extension, accessed 2026-11