Are you using the right Non-Steroidal?
The use of anti inflammatory and painkiller products has increased massively in recent years. The common uses we find are:
Disbudding/ Dehorning
- Reduce pain, stress, risk of reduced feed intake/ other diseases
Castration
- Less growth check, less pain, less stress
Any major surgery
- Better surgical outcomes, pain relief
Calving Problems
- Reduces inflammation, less risk of DA’s, more rapid transition
Mastitis
- Reduce cell counts, increases conception rates. Reduced risk culling
Calf Scour
- Reduce pain, inflammation and better intakes feed and electrolytes
Pneumonia
- Reduction temperature, less inflammation, more rapid recovery
The use of painkillers is a real opportunity to fine tune and improve productivity on farm. Recent published work has also demonstrated that using NSAIDS for the common calf procedures such as disbudding/ castration and calf scour is beneficial.
The British Cattle Vet Association is now recommending that painkillers are used in all cases of calf castration. Pain reduction at castration reduces the cortisol release and stress responses which impair immune function.
Research has shown that cattle with mastitis treated with Metacam alongside antibiotics have improved fertility and less risk of culling
Further work is showing the benefits of NSAIDs in calf scour. Calf scours are normally caused by viruses and protozoans and the use of NSAIDS will help reduce inflammation and scarring in the gut.