Proliferation ofClostridium perfringensin the Intestines of Cattle

Abstract

In order to study the etiological background of bovine necrotic enteritis, 51 animals having various diseases, including 14 animals with necrotic enteritis were examined forClostridium perfringensandEscherichia coli, especially as regards their ages. Normal 107 Holstein and 81 Japanese Black Cattle were also examined in like manner. In the former group, intestinal content of postmortem animals was used as material for isolating the organisms and for the latter group, feces were used. The results obtained are as follows: In 37 diseased animals, 12 of 20 less than 60 days of age and 12 of 17 more than 60 days of age had bothC. perfringens andE. coliwith a high bacterial order, 10^5-8cfu/g and 10⁸cfu/g, respectively. In feces of normal animals less than 60 days of age, Holstein cattle hadC. perfringensat an 80% isolation rate with 10^5.9cfu bacterial count and Japanese Black Cattle in 19.3% with ca. 10^5.5cfu/g at such a rate and count. ForE. coliin the former, it was 10^6.2cfu/g and in the latter, 107.7 cfu/g both on the average for all-age-group animals. The results with 4 or 5 times' samplings of feces until their 72-80 days of age for 3 Holstein and 13 Japanese Black Cattle also showed a similar trend regardingC. perfringens. Besides, 5 calf-replacers and 5 calf-starters used for Holstein cattle did not show any existence of C. perfringens. From these results, it is suggested that a greater number ofC. perfringensin feces of Holstein calves less than 60 days of age may be due to a calf-replacer feeding system andE. colicould increase in any diseased condition.