How long will it last?

kenny thomas · Aug 12, 2018

The shots for calves topic got me to wondering, how long would a place have to not have cattle on it before it would be clean of all health dangers that can live in the soil.
I have heard that blackleg can last 20 years. How about scares, tetnus, all the other soil born issues?

sstterry · Aug 12, 2018

kenny thomas":1gbob7xy said:
The shots for calves topic got me to wondering, how long would a place have to not have cattle on it before it would be clean of all health dangers that can live in the soil.
I have heard that blackleg can last 20 years. How about scares, tetnus, all the other soil born issues?

I can't speak to the others, but since clostridium tetani live in the soil, I am not sure you would ever be free of the danger of tetanus.

Bright Raven · Aug 12, 2018

sstterry":300zuu2o said:
kenny thomas":300zuu2o said:

The shots for calves topic got me to wondering, how long would a place have to not have cattle on it before it would be clean of all health dangers that can live in the soil.
I have heard that blackleg can last 20 years. How about scares, tetnus, all the other soil born issues?

Click to expand...

I can't speak to the others, but since clostridium tetani live in the soil, I am not sure you would ever be free of the danger of tetanus.

The Clostridial bacteria are always in the environment, universally, so a Clostridial vaccine is necessary everywhere.

greybeard · Aug 12, 2018

I don't think there's any scenario where one would ever have 100% risk free soil..in a natural state anyway. As long as birds fly over it, animals cross it, outside water flows over it, there's a pretty good chance bacterial spores will be there.

The oldest reported bacterial organism to be brought back from dormancy is one that was found in a salt crystal that was formed millions of years ago.
http://www.extremescience.com/oldest-living-thing.htm

I believe anthrax can lie dormant for about 50 years
I don't think our most troublesome bacteria can survive that long tho..hope not anyway, bit I do think spores are constantly being brought in by any number of ways..

kenny thomas · Aug 12, 2018

greybeard":2j13bbag said:
I don't think there's any scenario where one would ever have 100% risk free soil..in a natural state anyway. As long as birds fly over it, animals cross it, outside water flows over it, there's a pretty good chance bacterial spores will be there.

The oldest reported bacterial organism to be brought back from dormancy is one that was found in a salt crystal that was formed millions of years ago.
http://www.extremescience.com/oldest-living-thing.htm

I believe anthrax can lie dormant for about 50 years
I don't think our most troublesome bacteria can survive that long tho..hope not anyway, bit I do think spores are constantly being brought in by any number of ways..

Good point. I know that blackleg particularly can be brought in from an adjoining farm by dogs and coyotes. Dragging bones and flesh from diseased animals

TCRanch · Aug 12, 2018

GB is right - and it's definitely a threat to animals and humans. Our builder came down with histoplasmosis working on a project in an old, abandoned building and 5 years later is still suffering the consequences. The treatment is similar to chemo & it's brutal. Another case just recently:
http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Common ... 03711.html
Scary stuff!

Chocolate Cow2 · Aug 12, 2018

Not to deflect the nature of this topic but those two on TC's link, in the hospital with TV cameras rolling, being interviewed and both are looking at their phones.....really........

Lucky_P · Aug 13, 2018

For all intents and purposes, the Clostridium pathogens are everywhere, and will be there forever. No amount of 'fallow' time will eliminate them from consideration as a potential problem.

Anthrax spores that Louis Pasteur had in his lab (he died in 1895) are still viable... some were germinated within the last 20 years, just to prove the point.

How long will it last?

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