Effect of Meloxicam Treatment during Early Pregnancy in Holstein Heifers

Abstract

We previously reported that administration of flunixin meglumine two times at a critical stage approaching pregnancy recognition associated with maintenance of the corpus luteum (CL) increased early embryo survival and pregnancy rate via an additive antiluteolytic effect with the conceptus [Vet Rec 160 (2007) 404]. In this study, the objective was to determine if a single administration of meloxicam, a non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug with a longer half-life, could be used instead of flunixin meglumine. This would avoid repeated injections in heifers following insemination at a critical stage to increase pregnancy rate due to its inhibitory effect on prostaglandin F(2alpha) synthesis. Eighty-five, 15- to 18-month-old Holstein heifers were synchronized, and following insemination (day 0) heifers were assigned to receive subcutaneous meloxicam injection (0.5 mg/kg; n = 37) on the afternoon of day 15 or were untreated as a control (n = 48). Pregnancy rates were defined as the percentage of heifers inseminated that were diagnosed pregnant by ultrasound between days 31 and 38 after artificial insemination. Effect of the treatment on pregnancy rates was analysed by chi-square test. Meloxicam treatment on day 15 after insemination dramatically decreased pregnancy rates in the heifers (52%; 25 of 48 in the control group vs 24.3%; 9 of 37 in the meloxicam-treated group; p < 0.01). This result indicates that administration of meloxicam at the time associated with pregnancy recognition processes to maintain the CL was harmful to the pregnancy even though the drug is considered to be safe during pregnancy in cattle.

Implantation and Establishment of Pregnancy in Ruminants

“…Of note, the expression of PTGS2 in biopsies of day 7 bovine blastocysts is a predictor of the successful development of that blastocyst to term and delivery of a live calf (El-Sayed et al 2006 ). Further, pregnancy rates were substantially reduced in heifers that received meloxicam, a partially selective inhibitor of PTGS2, on day 15 after insemination (Erdem and Guzeloglu 2010 ). A recent study supports the hypothesis that the day 13 conceptus secretes PGs that act locally in a paracrine manner to alter gene expression in the endometrium prior to pregnancy recognition in cattle ).…”

Effects of calcium salts of soybean oil on factors that influence pregnancy establishment in Bos indicus beef cows1

“…also be converted into eicosadienoic acid rather than arachidonic acid as reported herein, which is known to reduce PGF 2α synthesis (Staples et al, 1998;Cheng et al, 2001). In addition, recent research demonstrated that PG from the 2-series, such as PGE 2 and PGI 2 that are also originated from ω-6 FA (Schmitz and Ecker, 2008), are critical regulators of conceptus elongation and pregnancy establishment in sheep (Dorniak et al, 2011) and cattle (Erdem and Guzeloglu, 2010). More specifically, these PG are synthesized by the conceptus and endometrium, modulate synthesis and endometrial activity of IFNt, and appear to be fundamental for conceptus development and pregnancy signaling to maternal tissues (Erdem and Guzeloglu, 2010;Dorniak et al, 2011).…”

PHYSIOLOGY AND ENDOCRINOLOGY SYMPOSIUM: Biological role of interferon tau in endometrial function and conceptus elongation12

“…Thus, available results support the idea that PG and IFNT from the conceptus coordinately regulate endometrial functions important for growth and development of the conceptus during the periimplantation period of pregnancy. In fact, pregnancy rates were substantially reduced in heifers that received meloxicam, a partially selective inhibitor of PTGS2, on d 15 after insemination (Erdem and Guzeloglu, 2010). Thus, PG are critical regulators of conceptus elongation and implantation, as they are for blastocyst implantation and decidualization during pregnancy in mice, rats, hamsters, mink and likely humans (Dey et al, 2004;Wang and Dey, 2006;Kennedy et al, 2007).…”