O.M. Franklin, a pioneering veterinarian, revolutionized the cattle industry by developing the first effective blackleg vaccine, Aggressin, in 1916. Blackleg, a deadly disease affecting cattle in the Midwest and West, was a significant threat until Franklin and his team at the Kansas Experiment Station conducted four years of research. In 1916, they relocated to Wichita, Kansas, building a small plant to manufacture Aggressin. By 1917, they established the Blackleg Serum Company of Kansas, later moving operations to Amarillo, Texas, to expand production.
Franklin, driven by the high costs of manufacturing the original vaccine, innovated a new method by cultivating blackleg bacteria in a liver broth and using formalin to kill the germs. This breakthrough led to the development of the first blackleg bacterin in 1918, tested on 50,000 calves over four years. Patented in 1923, the vaccine proved successful, marking a turning point in blackleg prevention.
The company, renamed O.M. Franklin Serum Company in 1927, expanded its offerings to include livestock and pharmaceutical supplies. By 1930, it had diversified into other vaccines. By the 1960s, the company was the largest cattle vaccine and supply company globally, producing 250 million doses of blackleg protection and achieving annual sales exceeding $5 million. In 1963, it was acquired by American Home Products and rebranded as Franklin Laboratories.
O.M. Franklin’s innovative work, particularly his use of formalin in vaccine production, left an enduring legacy in the livestock industry, with his contributions celebrated by historical associations and collectors alike.
