XXVI WORLD BUIATRICS CONGRESS Santiago Chile – November 2010 EFFECTS OF ANALGESIC USE POST CALVING ON COW WELFARE AND PERFORMANCE Hannah Shubert1, Donald M. Broom2, George Stilwell1 1Centre for Animal Welfare and Anthrozoology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge. 2 Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, UTL. Ajuda, Lisboa. stilwell@fmv.utl.pt Abstract nº 680 INTRODUCTION: Routine analgesia of a postpartum cow is not a common intervention following an unassisted calving, although is sometimes given following a dystocia. Little work has been conducted to determine the level of pain and discomfort experienced by a postpartum cow. Assessment of pain in animals can be difficult. Behaviour indicative of pain postpartum has not been widely researched, however may include general indicators of pain such as altered posture and lower food intake. One method of assessing pain is to monitor the effects of administering analgesia (Fraser and Broom 1990). Production values may also be used to assess welfare, milk yield and fertility being suitable measures in dairy cows (Whay et al. 2003). The welfare of a post partum cow could potentially be improved with the use of analgesia. NSAIDs, including carprofen, have previously been shown to reduce pain (Stilwell et al. 2008). Fig. 1: Pain caused by calving can reduce dry matter intake and influence performance. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was performed on a commercial dairy unit of approximately 1000 Holstein milking cows. A total of 39 cows and heifers entered the study. Animals entered the study if their parturition period was observed. Every other cow was treated with carprofen (1.4 mg/kg). Behaviour and clinical measures (Table 1) were registered for approximately 24 hours post calving. Observation was performed from the corridor where disturbance was minimal. Milk yield was registered at 220 and 305 days in milk (DIM). Number of animals inseminated and confirmed pregnant were registered at 220 DIM. Pain related behaviours include vocalisation, kicking abdomen, muscle tremors, shifting weight and grinding teeth. RESULTS: No behaviour or clinical parameter showed any differences except the proportion of time eating that was higher in cows treated with carprofen (Table 1). More cows in the control group showed painful behaviours, however this was not statistically significant Milk yield in heifers treated was higher at 220 DIM and still higher at 305 DIM although not statistically significant (Fig. 3). More heifers were pregnant at 220 DMI in the control group (Fig. 4) Parameters Description Control Analgesia Behaviour post-calving Number of position changes 1.6 1.4 Proportion of time spent standing 75% 64% Pricked ears 48% Eye white visible 11.5% 23% Number of pain related behaviours 0.3 0.4 Proportion time eating 0* 0.21* Pain related behaviours Proportion attending calf 80% 74% Clinical measures Rectal Temp. (24 h) 38.6 38.4 Rectal Temp. (48 h) Placenta expulsion < 6h Clinical disease 0.35 0.31 Table 2: Straw yard used as a maternity in the study. Table 1: Behaviour and clinical measures assessed during the first hours post calving. * statistically different p<0.05. * * * * Fig 4: Number of cows/heifers pregnant or inseminated waiting for pregnancy diagnosis at 220 DIM. * differ statistically p<0.05. Fig 3: Milk yield at 220 and 305 days in milk (DIM) of cows or heifers treated (Analgesia) or not (Control) with carprofen at calving. * Differ statistically p<0.05. DISCUSSION and CONCLUSIONS: More animals from the analgesia group than the control group were observed to be eating during the postpartum observation period. It may be that the use of a NSAID postpartum reduced pain-associated inappetance and lowered the negative energy balance resulting in a lower incidence of metabolic problems and higher milk yields. The milk yield was higher in the analgesia group than in he control group. This was more evident in the heifer group probably because first calving is more painful. Increased yield can be explained by the higher dry matter intake or because carprofen may reduce the immunosuppressant cortisol response to pain, and thus potentially reduce the levels of clinical and subclinical disease. The number of animals pregnant by 220 days post partum was significantly higher in the control group than the analgesia group. This may suggest that carprofen has an effect on uterine involution via inhibition of prostaglandins or because more resources (e.g. energy) are being used for milk production in the analgesic group. In conclusion, pain alleviation at calving, specially in first calving, may result in better milk production although it may also delay return to normal reproduction. Further knowledge of the exact mechanism of action of carprofen and more detailed production data would allow a better explanation of these findings. REFERENCES: Fraser AF and Broom DM (1990) Welfare assessment. In: Farm Animal Behaviour and Welfare. Bailliere Tindall, London. Stilwell G, Lima MS and Broom DM (2008) The effects of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and of epidural injection on plasma cortisol and behaviour of calves castrated using a Burdizzo Clamp. American Journal Veterinary Research. 69 (6): 744-750 Whay HR, Main DJC, Green LE and Webster ALF (2003) Animal based measures for the assessment of dairy cattle, pigs and laying hens: consensus of expert opinion. Animal welfare 12: 205-217 Acknowledgements - Vale de Lama and Garry Mainprize