Pain relief is becoming an increasingly important part of dairy cattle welfare, with more options available to farmers than there were a decade ago. Anne Lee speaks with Northland veterinarian Rory Dean about how cattle experience and show pain, why they can be difficult to assess as prey animals and how commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can help cows recover from painful and inflammatory conditions.

Host:

• Anne Lee, Senior Journalist, Dairy Country

Guests:

• Rory Dean, Northland Veterinarian

Rory explains how drugs such as ketoprofen and meloxicam work, and their role in managing lameness, mastitis and difficult calvings. Anne and Rory also discuss pain relief for calves, including during disbudding and when treating conditions such as pneumonia, navel ill, joint ill and diarrhoea, as well as the importance of early intervention and pre-emptive analgesia. They explore the different roles of anti-inflammatory drugs, local anaesthetics and sedatives, why pain relief needs to be combined with appropriate treatment and nursing care, and the importance of following label instructions and veterinary advice to avoid overdosing and side effects.

Read the article from the latest issue of the DAIRY Country here: https://dairycountry.co.nz/the-right-pain-relief/

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