The danger of immunising Boergoats against heartwater.

ABSTRACT

Ten 6-toothed Boergoat does and 215 Boergoat kids were injected by the intravenous route with the Onderstepoort heartwater blood vaccine and then temperatured daily. On Day 10, all the does had rectal temperatures in excess of 40 degrees C and were treated with oxytetracycline intravenously, while the kids received an intramuscular injection of the antibiotic. One kid died from heartwater on Day 11. On Day 15, 7 does had a febrile reaction and all the does and kids were treated as before. Two does died of heartwater on Days 16 and 17 respectively, while 12 kids developed heartwater on Day 17 and 6 kids on Day 18. All were treated for heartwater. A total of 2 does (20%) and 16 kids (7.4%) died during the experiment.