Death from Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome Graphic Video

This pregnant crossbred cow was found dead Saturday morning for no apparent reason. She was due to calve in 27 days. The day before the cow received her 3-4 week vaccinations and I noticed her resting in a stall chewing her cud later that day looking as happy as can be. I was quite puzzled about what caused the sudden death and called the local large animal veternarian office to have someone come down to do a necropsy since the diagnostic lab at Penn State was closed until Monday. During the necropsy it was determined that she ruptured on the inside and died from Bloody Gut aka Hemorrhagic Bowel Syndrome. The calf she would have delivered was a bull. A full description of this frustrating disease is listed below:

Bloody gut, also known as hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS), is a frustrating disease that strikes apparently healthy animals without much warning and has a fatality rate of 85 percent or higher. HBS is more prevalent in dairy cows, especially in early lactation, although it also has been reported in beef cattle.

According to National Animal Health Monitoring System, from 1996 to 2002, the number of operations reporting their initial case of bloody gut/hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) increased dramatically, supporting opinions that this is an emerging disease.

In the last few years, several studies have indicated an association between HBS and C. perfringens Type A. While no single cause has been identified for HBS, C. perfringens is believed to be a contributor, as it is commonly isolated from the gastrointestinal tracts of afflicted animals. In addition to C. perfringens Type A, bloody gut/hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) is linked with early lactation rations that are rich in energy and protein and low in fiber. Mold also has been implicated in the disease, specifically Aspergillus fumigatus found in livestock feeds.

Bloody gut/hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) can be found in any size herd in any location. However, USDA reports that it occurs most frequently in:

Operations with 500+ cows
More productive herds with rolling herd averages of 20,000 lbs. or greater
Signs of bloody gut/hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) include a sudden and sometimes massive hemorrhage into the small intestine, resulting in blood clots that obstruct the intestine. Other signs of HBS include:

Cows off feed
Pale mucous membranes
Severe decrease in milk production
Dark, tar-like feces, often containing clots of digested blood
Round or pear-shaped abdominal contour, especially in the lower right abdomen
Treatment of cattle with bloody gut/hemorrhagic bowel syndrome (HBS) is rarely successful. Prevention is key. In an effort to address this emerging disease, Novartis Animal Health has introduced the first USDA conditionally licensed vaccine for cattle Clostridium Perfringens Type A Toxoid. This vaccine aids in the control of disease syndromes caused by the alpha toxin of C. perfringens.

Two mL of the vaccine should be administered subcutaneously in the neck, with revaccination in two to four weeks following the initial dose. Revaccinate annually or as recommended by your veterinarian. The product can be given to pregnant or non-pregnant animals, and can be given to calves as young as one month of age.

In addition to vaccination, other management measures to consider for HBS are:

Evaluating and correcting nutritional factors that may predispose cows to HBS, such as lack of roughage or too much carbohydrate in the diet
Testing silage to verify proper ensiling, quality and to check for the presence of C. perfringens Type A, mold or mycotoxins
Practicing good bunk management, such as keeping feed pushed up and removing leftover feed from the bunk daily
Identifying and correcting problems that might lower disease resistance during transition and early lactation