title: The effects of periparturient administration of flunixin meglumine on the health and production of dairy cattle.
abstract: Research on the assessment and management of pain in cows following difficult or assisted calving is still limited, especially on the effects of analgesics intended to mitigate this pain. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of flunixin meglumine on the health and production of Holstein cows after calving. In total, 34 flunixin-treated and 38 placebo-treated animals were enrolled in a precalving treatment trial. A total of 633 animals given flunixin and 632 animals administered a placebo were enrolled in a postcalving treatment trial. In both cases, animals were randomly assigned to treatment, and researchers were blind to treatment condition until after analysis. A total of 1,265 animal records were analyzed for milk production for the first 14d in milk and health outcomes for the first 30d in milk. Animals treated with flunixin meglumine before calving had a significantly increased risk of stillbirth. Animals treated immediately after calving had increased odds of having a retained placenta and, in turn, increased risk of a high temperature, decreased milk production, and an increased risk of developing metritis. The administration of flunixin meglumine within 24h of parturition is not recommended in dairy cattle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Newby
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Leslie
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: H D Putnam
authors.initials: HDP
authors.lastname: Dingwell
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Kelton
authors.affiliation: Animal Welfare Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Weary
authors.affiliation: Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neuder
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames 50011.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Millman
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1. Electronic address: tduffiel@uoguelph.ca.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Duffield
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D003002:Clonixin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects; D008892:Milk; D036801:Parturition; D018457:Placenta, Retained; D011247:Pregnancy; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: C014558:flunixin meglumine; D003002:Clonixin
keywords: dystocia; metritis; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID); retained placenta