The effects of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug on the behavioural and physiological parameters of beef cows and calves assisted at calving

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be administered to the cow or the calf as a pain mitigation strategy to combat the negative impacts of injury or trauma associated with a difficult calving. However, the effects of NSAIDs on beef cows' and calves' behaviour related to pain and cow-calf bonding after an assisted calving have not been studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of meloxicam administered to beef cows and calves after an assisted calving by measuring differences in behaviours associated with pain and cow-calf bonding, and physiological parameters associated with pain. Twenty-three cow-calf pairs assisted at calving were randomly allocated to two medication groups, meloxicam (Metacam®, 20 mg/ml, 0.5 mg/kg body weight, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim, Germany) or placebo (0.025 ml/kg). Cow blood samples for serum haptoglobin concentration and thermal images of the vulva were taken within 10 minutes after calving and 24±1 hours after calving. Calf blood samples for L-lactate concentration and thermal images of the head were taken at birth and images repeated at24±1 hours after birth. Blood samples for serum IgG concentration were taken at 24±1 hours after birth. After at-birth sample collection and treatment administration, the cow-calf pairs were placed in separate box stalls, and behaviours were video recorded for 24±1 hours. A human approach test and a separation test were performed after the 24±1 hour period. Descriptive statistics, multivariable linear and logistic regression models, and non-parametric tests were used to analyze the data. There were no significant differences between meloxicam and placebo groups for serum IgG concentration, haptoglobin concentration, or changes in temperature in the cows' vulva or calves' head. Additionally, there were no significant differences between meloxicam and placebo groups for the cows' behaviours (i.e., time spent lying in sternal recumbency, standing, feeding, self-grooming, grooming the calf, and frequency of tail flicking, tail raising, and pressing against the box stall). Calves treated with meloxicam were more active (P=0.04) and played more (P=0.01) than placebo calves. No other behaviours (i.e., time spent lying in sternal recumbency, attempting to stand, standing, walking, being in a nursing position, investigating, and frequency of approaching the cow) were significantly different between calves treated with meloxicam or placebo. No significant difference (P=0.83) in bonding behaviours was identified for cows and calves treated with meloxicam or a placebo. The use of meloxicam in calves after an assisted calving may indicate that the anti-inflammatory effects improve calf welfare.