Increased welfare and better pain management can lead to economic, as well as herd health benefits for farmers, according to Merial Animal Health.
Animal welfare is becoming an increasingly important issue, as retailers and consumers alike seek assurance that good animal welfare management has played an integral role in the provenance of their food.
With this in mind, the importance of the commercial dimension of animal welfare has increased, as retailers make it a key requirement for their supply chains. On an even more micro level, better pain management – a crucial part of animal health in itself – is a production issue, but in many situations also brings with it economic benefits – either in terms of reduced costs or increased productivity.
Thoughtful use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help treat inflammation and pain associated with many cattle diseases and management procedures. Applications can include action against mastitis, pneumonia and parturient paresis associated with calving, as well for lameness, dehorning and castration.
Lameness can affect cattle of all types and ages. In dairy cattle it is estimated that as many as 1 in 4 are affected on an annual basis. Without doubt, lameness is a painful condition and, as such, is both a welfare and economic concern.
Even after treatment for lameness, cows can continue to experience increased sensitivity (hyperalgesia) for up to 28 days. However, a field study has shown that ketoprofen significantly reduced this state of heightened sensitivity for the 28 day study period.
Another study of dairy cows with lameness showed that when ketoprofen was used in conjunction with appropriate treatment, it can positively affect milk production in moderate and severe cases, with increases of anything from 0.08 kg/hour to 0.55 kg/hour among those animals who received the drug.
The two studies indicate that using ketoprofen at the same time as lameness treatments such as foot trimming and block application can lead to improvements in both financial and welfare terms.
The use of ketoprofen also makes economic sense when dehorning calves. One study showed that calves treated with ketoprofen gained an average 1.2 kg in weight in the following 24 hours compared to 0.4 kg in the untreated group.
Studies have also shown that ketoprofen used in conjunction with a local anaesthetic can provide optimal control of pain and stress.
Animal stress and pain can be objectively assessed by observing behavioural changes, but also by measuring plasma cortisol levels. In the case of castration, a rise in cortisol is seen when any of the commonly used techniques is used. Studies have shown that ketoprofen, administered in conjunction with a local anaesthetic, significantly reduces cortisol levels.
By using ketoprofen it is possible to ensure that growth in castrated calves is not reduced when compared with calves that have not undergone the procedure.
Merial Animal Health’s veterinary adviser Fiona MacGillivray says: "There is no doubt that research supports the use of NSAIDs for a wide range of conditions across dairy cattle. Whether it is improving milk production in cows with lameness; increasing growth rates in calves that are de-horned; or ensuring that growth rates do not fall in castrated bull calves, NSAIDs can provide a return on investment to the producer. It also makes good sense in terms of animal welfare."
Ketofen®, an NSAID produced by Merial Animal Health, contains the active ingredient ketoprofen, which effectively alleviates pain, has anti-inflammatory and anti-endotoxic properties and reduces the temperatures of fevered cattle. It has a nil withdrawal period for milk, one day withdrawal period for meat after intravenous injection and four days for meat after intramuscular injection.
