Murray Stokoe, [03 Feb 2023 at 12:27:24]: Some help please. Clients of mine have a 3000 hectare farm in Karoo Eastern Cape. They lost 4 adult giraffe in December. No post mortem examinations were done as they were too far along. I vaccinated with Deca-Sure 3 weeks ago. Lost another 2 in the last week. I attempted a post mortem examination but autolysis was too far. Any suggestions please? Gary Bauer, [03 Feb 2023 at 12:30:12]: Increased cresol/phenol/tannin levels on over-browsed trees is a strong possibility, particularly if there is a high number of browsers within an enclosed area and possibly lower than normal rainfall. Repeat short interval browsing leads to dramatically increased levels of these in leaves. Murray Stokoe, [03 Feb 2023 at 14:00:24]: Thanks Gary. These are in an open farm, and there were only 17giraffe to start. Only giraffe were affected. They had rain and conditions were good when the mortalities started. No rain has fallen since then. Peter Rogers, [03 Feb 2023 at 19:12:36]: Clostridium a very big possibility-seen it here in the Lowveld Richard Burroughs, Hi Murray. It may well be nutritional. WRT to histopathology samples, even if some autolysis of a day or 2, pathologists can often find vital clues. I would try - at least it's a start. Henry Labuschagne, [04 Feb 2023 at 01:15:25]: The Deca-Sure dose in sheep is 3ml and 5ml in cattle S/C. What dose did you use off-label in giraffe ? How effective is I/M vaccination ? Murray Stokoe, [04 Feb 2023 at 06:20:17]: I used 5ml. Not a product I have used before. Any experience with it? Should I use something else? Henry Labuschagne, [04 Feb 2023 at 10:55:45]: I would rather use Rhinovax or Covexin plus Botuthrax. Murray Stokoe, Botulism a big DD - I use something with Cl. botulinum in it such as Supavax. I don’t think Deca-Sure contains Cl. botulinum I give a booster a month later & try to repeat annually. If left for 2-3 years, you will start getting mortalities again. They love to chew on bones
