title: Effects of meloxicam administration on physiological and performance responses of transported feeder cattle.
abstract: This experiment evaluated the effects of meloxicam administration on physiological and performance responses of transported cattle during feedlot receiving. Eighty-four Angus × Hereford steers were ranked by BW on d -10 and assigned to 21 dry lot pens. From d -10 to 0, pens were fed alfalfa-grass hay ad libitum and 2.4 kg/steer daily (DM basis) of a corn-based concentrate. On d 0, pens were randomly assigned to 1) transport for 1,440 km in a livestock trailer and oral administration of meloxicam (1 mg/kg of BW) at loading (d 0), unloading (d 1), and daily from d 2 to 7 of feedlot receiving (MEL; n = 7); 2) the same transportation and treatment schedule of MEL but oral administration of lactose monohydrate (1 mg/kg of BW) instead of meloxicam (TRANS; n = 7); or 3) no transport and oral administration of lactose monohydrate (1 mg/kg of BW) concurrently with treatment administration to MEL and TRANS (CON; n = 7). Upon arrival (d 1), MEL and TRANS steers returned to their pens for a 21-d feedlot receiving with the same diet offered from d -10 to 0. Treatments were administered to steers via oral drench on d 0 and 1 or mixed daily with the concentrate from d 2 to 7. Full BW was recorded before (d -2, -1, and 0) treatment application and at the end of experiment (d 20, 21, and 22) for ADG calculation. Daily DMI was recorded from d 1 to 21. Blood samples were collected on d 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21. During the initial 7 d of feedlot receiving, hay and total DMI were reduced (P ≤ 0.03) in TRANS vs. CON and MEL and similar between CON and MEL (P ≥ 0.26), whereas concentrate DMI did not differ (P = 0.16) among treatments. Mean ADG was reduced (P ≤ 0.03) in TRANS vs. MEL and CON but similar (P = 0.82) between MEL and CON. Moreover, TRANS had reduced G:F vs. CON (P = 0.01) and MEL (P = 0.05), whereas G:F was similar (P = 0.39) between CON and MEL. Serum NEFA concentrations were greater (P < 0.01) for TRANS and MEL vs. CON on d 1. Plasma haptoglobin concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.03) for TRANS vs. CON and MEL on d 5 and greater (P ≤ 0.03) for CON vs. TRANS on d 10. Plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were greater (P ≤ 0.04) for TRANS vs. CON on d 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14, greater (P ≤ 0.03) for TRANS vs. MEL on d 5 and 7, and also greater (P = 0.05) for MEL vs. CON on d 3. In conclusion, meloxicam administration to feeder steers modulated the haptoglobin and ceruloplasmin responses and prevented the performance losses caused by long-distance transportation.
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720 Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, UNESP - Univ. Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu, SP, Brazil, 18618-970.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Guarnieri Filho
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720 reinaldo.cooke@oregonstate.edu.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720.
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Cappellozza
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University - Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Burns, OR 97720.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bohnert
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development*; D002570:Ceruloplasmin / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D000077239:Meloxicam; D013843:Thiazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014186:Transportation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D002570:Ceruloplasmin; D000077239:Meloxicam
keywords: acute-phase proteins; beef cattle; feedlot receiving; meloxicam; transport