VN June 2021

Vetnuus | Junie 2021 38 This study by Daniel Melgaard and co‐workers in Denmark evaluated whether ovarian removal in mares with unexplained unwanted behaviour improved the mare’s behaviour or rideability from the owner’s perspective. Ovarian neoplasms may causemares to change behaviour, but there is often no apparent reason for unwanted behaviour. Surgical ovarian removal was performed in 28 mares; 14 mares had ovarian neoplasia in either one or both ovaries, 10 mares had normal ovaries, and the ovaries of the remaining four mares were not examined for the presence of cancer. Following ovariectomy, rideability improved in 80% (8/10) of mares with normal ovaries and in 57% (8/14) of mares with ovarian neoplasms. A behavioural improvement was observed in 40% (4/10) of mares with normal ovaries, and in 43% (6/14) of mares with ovarian neoplasms. Mares with unwanted behaviour not obviously related to the oestrous cycle and to painful conditions may benefit from ovariectomy to alter their behaviour and rideability. v In a recent article in the Bovine Veterinarian, Maureen Hanson discusses the use of pain management during calving. She mentions that, in recent years, greater awareness of that pain has prompted the dairy and veterinary industries to embrace mitigation measures to reduce pain from routine management practices. Researchers now are exploring whether cattle would benefit from pain management associated with another regular lifetime event: calving. “There is little doubt that giving birth and postpartum recovery are painful events for cattle, just as they are for humans,” said Hans Coetzee, OP graduate and Head of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the Kansas State University (KSU) College of Veterinary Medicine. “Recent research has focused on whether supportive postpartum therapy could alleviate pain and inflammation, and help cows recover more quickly from the stress of calving.” Michael Kleinhenz, Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at the KSU College of Veterinary Medicine and his team assessed post-calving pain via a unique gait analysis system. The system uses specialised floor mats that measure contact force to assess how cows distribute weight to their limbs, and the length of their stride. In the post-calving study of 20 Holstein cows (10 treated, 10 control), his team found that postpartum pain care resulted in: • Less weight shifting – in this study, cows treated with the pain reliever meloxicamwithin26hours postpartum shifted less weight to their front legs compared to untreated control cows. • Stride-length differences – The cows that received no post-partum pain therapy took longer strides with their rear legs than the treated group. Kleinhenz suggested this may be due to the pain associated with udder oedema, which was relieved by the meloxicam treatment. “They may have taken longer steps to minimise udder friction,” he explained. “And previous studies evaluatingmastitis have shown that meloxicam helps relieve udder pain.” A second study using meloxicam and sodium salicylate postpartum was conducted by Barry Bradford, Meadows Chair in Dairy Management at Michigan State University. Second-lactation or greater cows received either meloxicam, sodium salicylate or no therapy, with each treatment lasting 3 days and 51 cows in each group. Bradford and his team found that cows in both treatment groups had significantly higher milk and protein production throughout their entire lactations, compared to the cows that received no treatment. The researcher suggested a reduction of systemic inflammation by both drugs could be the reason for greater whole-lactation production success, and also might improve lifetime herd longevity. Meloxicam can be administered via oral bolus, which makes it more convenient than sodium salicylate, which must be delivered via oral drench. v (Source: www.bovinevetonline.com ) Pain Management during Calving BOVINE EQUINE Recent Clinically Relevant Research from Around theWorld Bilateral ovariectomy for moody mares