Effect of meloxicam on gain and behavior of calves castrated by banding post-weaning

Authors: GARCIA, JESSICA - University Of Tennessee; WHITLOCK, BRIAN - University Of Tennessee; KRAWCZEL, PETER - University Of Tennessee; Carroll, Jeffery; Sanchez, Nicole; Dailey, Jeffery; DANIEL, JAY - Berry College; COETZEE, J - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Translational Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Castration is a common procedure cattle experience and is often performed without pain relief. However, new methods to improve animal health and well-being are focused on reducing pain experienced by livestock. Meloxicam is a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug that has been shown to decrease pain. A study was conducted with ARS and university scientists to determine whether giving meloxicam to bull calves following band castration affected markers of pain. Data from this study found that meloxicam reduced some behaviors associated with pain following band castration. Future studies are needed to assess the best amount and timing of meloxicam after castration. This data will be of interest to scientists in the field of stress, animal health and well-being and to cattle producers.

Technical Abstract: Castration may detrimentally affect the health and performance of weaned calves, and painful procedures in production animals are a public concern. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of castration (by banding) with or without administration of meloxicam (Mel), a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug, on growth, indicators of inflammation, rectal temperature, and behavior in weaned beef calves. Forty-eight (62 d post-weaning) beef calves [10.0 ± 0.2 (mean ± SE) mo old; 304 ± 6 kg BW] were blocked by multiple factors then randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments (n=16 calves per treatment): 1) intact bulls (BULL), 2) castration by banding (BAN), or 3) castration by banding with orally-administered Mel (3 mg per kg BW on d 0 and 14; BAN+M). Calves were assigned to 8 pens (2 calves per treatment within each pen) one wk before treatment administration for acclimation to group housing. Body weight and plasma haptoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations were determined on 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28 d after treatment administration. Rectal temperature was recorded at 5-min intervals for 14 d by dataloggers fitted to the calves on d 0. Behaviors [mean lying time (h/d), mean lying bouts (n/d), and steps (n/d)] were recorded at 1-min intervals for 27 d by dataloggers fitted to the calves on d 0. Ethogram data was recorded on eight days for two hours with collection times of every ten minutes. Behaviors recorded from the ethogram included eating, ruminating, not ruminating, drinking, location within the pen, and body position (standing or lying down). Data were tested for effects of treatment, day, pen, and treatment by day interaction using mixed models accounting for repeated measures. BULL gained more (0.69 ± 0.12 kg/d; P<0.05) than BAN (0.15 ±0.11 kg/d) or BAN+M (0.14 ±0.11 kg/d) over 28 d. There was no effect of treatment (P=0.36) or treatment by day interaction (P=0.21) on mean plasma haptoglobin concentration. There was no effect of treatment (P=0.84) or treatment by day interaction (P=0.25) on mean plasma fibrinogen concentration. There was an effect of treatment (P<0.001) and treatment by time interaction (P<0.001) on mean rectal temperature during the 14 d after treatment administration. Over 14 d, BAN+M had the greatest mean rectal temperature (39.47 ± 0.006°C), BAN had the second greatest temperature (39.42 ± 0.006°C), and BULL had the lowest temperature (39.41 ± 0.005°C). Ethogram data revealed treatment had an effect on standing behavior, as such BULL had increased time lying for two hours on Day 4 and 8 post-castration. Mel administration had an insignificant effect on pen-level behaviors recorded with the ethogram. Decreased average daily body weight gain indicates that castration by banding during the post-weaning period was painful regardless of attempts and pain abatement with Mel. While benefits of Mel were not evident from changes in growth performance or inflammatory response, behavior and rectal temperature were affected by meloxicam administration.