Reducing pain after dehorning in dairy calves

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Science
• Pain Management

Background:

• Dehorning is a common practice in dairy calves.
• Pain associated with dehorning can negatively impact calf welfare and productivity.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to manage pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of ketoprofen in mitigating pain responses following hot-iron dehorning in Holstein calves.
• To compare behavioral and weight gain differences between ketoprofen-treated and control groups.

Main Methods:

• Twenty Holstein calves (4-8 weeks old) were divided into two groups: ketoprofen treatment and control.
• All calves received xylazine and lidocaine prior to hot-iron dehorning.
• Behavioral responses (head shaking, ear flicking, head rubbing) were monitored for 24 hours post-procedure.
• Weight gain was measured over the 24-hour period.

Main Results:

• Ketoprofen-treated calves exhibited significantly lower frequencies of head shaking and ear flicking compared to controls.
• These behavioral differences persisted for up to 12-24 hours post-dehorning.
• Control calves showed a higher incidence of head rubbing.
• Ketoprofen-treated calves tended to have greater weight gain (1.2 kg) than controls (0.2 kg) in the 24 hours post-dehorning.

Conclusions:

• Ketoprofen effectively alleviates acute pain following hot-iron dehorning in young dairy calves.
• The use of ketoprofen can improve calf welfare by reducing pain-related behaviors.
• Further research could explore long-term impacts and optimal NSAID protocols for dehorning procedures.