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Braxy
Braxy, also called bradsot, is a clostridiasis which attacks the wall of the abomasum, the real stomach of the sheep. It is caused by Clostridium septicum, a soil bacterium whose spores are swallowed with grass and food. The disease occurs...
What is it?
Braxy, also called bradsot, is a clostridiasis which attacks the wall of the abomasum, the real stomach of the sheep. It is caused by Clostridium septicum, a soil bacterium whose spores are swallowed with grass and food. The disease occurs when the wall of the abomasum is weakened, in particular by the ingestion of frozen or very cold foods: frozen grass in the early morning, frost, iced water, frozen fodder. The bacteria takes advantage of this attack to invade the wall, multiply there and produce toxins which pass into the blood. It mainly affects young sheep in the first year, rarely adults. It is a disease of cold periods. In Tunisia and the Maghreb, it primarily concerns high altitude areas and interior regions during winter cold spells, as well as transhumant herds which go up frozen rangelands in the early morning. Like other clostridioses, it kills quickly: animals are often found dead.
Key point
Sudden death of young sheep in cold weather. We almost never intervene in time: it is vaccination and management of morning grazing in frosty weather that protect the herd.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Most often, the animal is found dead in the early morning or upon returning from the trail, without having shown any signs the day before.
When the signs are observed, they are brief and last only a few hours: deep depression, animal which stays behind the herd, refuses food and stops ruminating.
High fever at first, often followed by a cold when the animal becomes weak.
Abdominal pain: the animal grinds its teeth, lies down and gets up, tenses its back, the stomach is painful to the touch.
Bloating of the left side.
Uncertain gait, animal which staggers then lies down and never gets up again.
Progression towards coma and death within a few hours.
The corpse deteriorates very quickly and bloats quickly, which makes the late autopsy uninformative: hence the importance of calling the veterinarian without delay.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
The bacteria lives in the soil in the form of extremely resistant spores, and is present in the digestive tract of perfectly healthy animals.
It only becomes dangerous if the wall of the abomasum is damaged. It is the ingestion of frozen foods, frost or frozen grass that most often plays this role, damaging the mucous membrane.
Other attacks on the wall can open the way: coarse food, plant foreign bodies, sudden change in diet, parasitism of the abomasum.
Once installed in the wall, the bacteria multiplies, causes necrotizing inflammation and releases toxins which enter the blood.
Hungry animals that throw themselves onto frozen fodder after a cold night combine two factors: damage to the wall and sudden filling.
Young sheep of the first year, not vaccinated.
Cold spells, morning frosts, frost on grass, cold spells in high altitude areas and in the interior.
Animals that graze early in the morning on frozen grass, or that receive fodder that has been left outside and frozen.
Drinking with very cold water after a period of deprivation.
Transhumant herds exposed to sudden changes in climate and terrain.
Hungry animals that suddenly fill up.
Plots and sheepfolds having already experienced cases.
Associated digestive parasitism, which weakens the wall of the abomasum.
Transmission
It is not a contagious disease: an affected animal does not transmit anything to its neighbors or to humans.
Contamination occurs from soil and food contaminated with soil, swallowed while grazing.
The spores persist for years in the soil of plots and in buildings: an area which has seen cases remains affected.
When several animals die in the same night, it is because they all suffered the same conditions, not because they contaminated each other.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The veterinarian relies on the context: age of the animals, cold period, frost in the preceding days, animals found dead without signs.
The early autopsy, carried out by the veterinarian, is the most useful examination: the wall of the abomasum is thickened, hemorrhagic and necrotic. Done too late, it becomes difficult to interpret because the corpse deteriorates very quickly.
Never open a corpse yourself: several diseases cause sudden deaths, and anthrax must always be removed by a professional before any handling.
Digestive lining samples can be sent to the laboratory to identify the bacteria.
The veterinarian rules out other causes of sudden death in young sheep, in particular other clostridioses and poisoning: the preventive measures to be implemented are not the same.
Treatment
The progression is too rapid for treatment to be effective in most cases: affected animals generally die before or despite intervention.
On an animal spotted very early, still standing, the veterinarian can try an antibiotic treatment associated with an anti-inflammatory and rehydration, on prescription. The results remain random.
Most of the action concerns the rest of the herd: bring the animals in, wait until the frost has melted before taking them out, distribute unfrozen fodder, give water that is not icy.
No product should be administered on its own initiative: this delays the call to the veterinarian, who alone can decide on action at batch level.
Withdrawal periods for meat and milk apply to any product administered and should be requested from the veterinarian.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Multipurpose clostridial vaccination is the basic measure, particularly for young animals and in areas where cases have already occurred.
Do not graze on frozen or frosty grass: wait until mid-morning until the frost has melted.
Avoid distributing fodder that has spent the night outside and is frozen; bring it in or defrost it.
Do not let hungry animals rush for food after deprivation, especially in cold weather.
Offer water that is not icy, break the ice from the drinkers and change the water.
Shelter young animals during cold spells and avoid morning outings in severe frost.
Ensure a sufficient ration in winter: a properly fed animal does not pounce on what it finds.
Control digestive parasitism.
Vaccination
The multivalent clostridial vaccines used in sheep cover this bacteria at the same time as other clostridioses: it is the same product which protects against several diseases in the group.
Protection is obtained by a primary vaccination in several injections, followed by regular boosters. A single injection leaves animals poorly protected.
In areas and farms at risk, young people must be covered before entering the cold period: this is a vaccination that is anticipated, not caught up.
Vaccination of ewes before lambing provides short-term protection to lambs through colostrum; it does not exempt young people from subsequently being vaccinated.
The exact timing and choice of vaccine is up to the veterinarian, depending on local climate and herd management.
Respect the cold chain for preserving vaccines.
Possible complications
Death of the animal, very often before any possibility of intervention.
Clustered losses among a group of young people during the same cold spell.
Peritonitis and generalized infection in animals that survive a few more hours.
Reappearance from one winter to the next on the same plots if vaccination is not implemented.
When to see a veterinarian
A young sheep is found dead after a night of frost: call the veterinarian and do not open the body.
An animal is slaughtered, no longer chews the cud and has a painful or bloated stomach.
Several animals from a batch of young die within a few days during a cold period.
An animal staggers and lies down without getting up.
Before winter, if your herd grazes in cold areas or transhumes: take advice on vaccination while there is still time.
Prognosis
The individual prognosis is very poor: the disease progresses within a few hours and treatment almost always arrives too late.
The prognosis for the batch is good as long as winter driving is corrected and vaccination is implemented.
In flocks vaccinated regularly, the disease practically disappears.
Frequently asked questions
My sheep died after a night of frost: was it the cold that killed them?
Not directly. The cold damaged the wall of their stomach by making them swallow frozen grass or fodder, and a bacteria from the soil took the opportunity to invade this wall. It is the toxin of this bacteria that kills. The difference is important: shelter alone is not enough, vaccination is also necessary.
Do we really have to wait until the frost has melted to take the animals out?
Yes, it is one of the simplest and most effective measures. Going out mid-morning, when the grass is no longer frozen, avoids damage to the abomasum wall. This also applies to fodder left out overnight.
Does the enterotoxemia vaccine also protect against braxy?
Multipurpose clostridial vaccines used in sheep farming generally cover several of these diseases at the same time. The composition varies depending on the product: ask your veterinarian what exactly the one you are using covers.
Can I eat a sheep found dead in the morning?
No. No animal found dead must be consumed or sold, whatever the supposed cause and even if it appears to be in good condition. The corpse must be presented to the veterinarian then disposed of according to regulations.
References
WOAH — Organisation mondiale de la santé animale (ex-OIE)
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 11 August 2026
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