Written by John Swire
Ceva Animal Health, the manufacturer of Ketofen® 10%, has launched a ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign to highlight the positive impact of pain relief on lame cattle and the role it can play in improving recovery time and results.
The initiative was launched following a study by Nottingham University which revealed that NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving injections) have a synergistic (greater than simply additive) effect when given alongside effective hoof trimming and blocking to treat lameness1. The findings have emerged alongside a second study showing that over the last 10 years, farmers are increasingly aware of the need for pain relief and 52% are happy to pay the extra costs involved (up from 36% in 2006)2.
The study looked at claw horn disease of the hind foot and found that trimming alone resulted in a 69% rate of return to mobility without lameness in 35 days. Adding a block into an effective trimming protocol raised the success rate to 72%; trimming and administering an NSAID raised it to 76%. Interestingly, using all three techniques together – trimming, applying a block and administering an NSAID – resulted in 85% of cases being successfully resolved*.
Gemma Robinson BVM BVS MRCVS, ruminant veterinary adviser at Ceva Animal Health, comments: “The study highlights that effective and prompt pain relief with NSAIDs can quickly help restore animals back to full productivity. Attitudes on the use of pain relief have changed significantly over the last 10 years2 and farmers can have a positive influence by ensuring they recognise the value of NSAIDs and prioritise their use on-farm. Our ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign aims to encourage farmers to review their current pain management plan, take action and seek help from their vet.
“Some concerns have been raised that the issues associated with antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic administration are causing farmers to avoid the use of all injectable treatments. We need to be clear that NSAIDs are anti-inflammatories, not antibiotics, and it is important they are used for managing pain, fever and the clinical signs associated with many common conditions. With zero milk-withhold NSAIDs available – there really is no reason to hesitate when it comes to administering pain relief in otherwise healthy cattle.”
For further information on the ‘Wave Goodbye to Pain’ campaign visit www.wavegoodbyetopain.co.uk , search social media for #wavegoodbyetopain or contact your vet.
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