Rapid Communication: Use of pressure mat gait analysis in measuring pain following normal parturition in dairy cows

Abstract

Research investigating the pain of normal parturition is lacking as there are few objective methods for measuring pain. The objective of this research was to describe the gait of cows following eutocia using pressure mat gait analysis; and if meloxicam alters the gait of cows. Twenty Holstein cows within 26 h of unassisted calving were enrolled into the study. Treatment groups included: 1) postpartum cows administered meloxicam (MEL; n = 10); and 2) postpartum cows administered placebo (PLBO; n = 10). Meloxicam was administered by oral bolus at 1 mg/ kg within 26 h of calving. Placebo cows were given an oral bolus of dry whey powder within 26 h of calving. A commercially available floor mat-based pressure/force measurement system was used to compare ambulation between treatment groups. Cows were walked across the mat before treatment administration, and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h posttreatment. The percent of total force, percent total contact pressure, and percent total impulse of the rear limbs were calculated. Outcome measures were statistically analyzed using repeated measures, with the cow serving as the experimental unit. Cows in the MEL group placed 48.9% (95% CI: 47.4% to 50.5%) of total force on the rear limbs compared to 46.3% (95% CI: 44.7% to 47.9%) in PLBO cows (P = 0.02). Total impulse on their rear limbs for the MEL cows was 50.5% (95% CI: 48.6% to 52.4%) compared to 46.7% (95% CI: 44.8% to 48.7%) for the PLBO cows (P = 0.01). No differences in contact pressure of the rear limbs were observed (P = 0.27). The PLBO cows had a longer gait 101.3 cm (95% CI: 95.9% to 106.6 cm) vs. 90.8 cm (95% CI: 85.4% to 96.1 cm) (P = 0.03). These findings show meloxicam-treated cows have altered weight distribution to the rear limbs as measured by pressure mat gait analysis, suggesting meloxicam may effectively treat postpartum pain.

Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Meloxicam Between Healthy Post-partum vs. Mid-lactation Dairy Cattle

“…While it may be tempting to prescribe meloxicam in the periparturient period to harvest an increased milk production, in the US, extra-label use of drugs for enhancement of milk production is illegal (13). However, if there were benefits in health parameters as have been proven by our research group (10) and others (12), then extra-label use could be prescribed provided the regulations of the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA) were followed, which included the requirement that no violative drug residues are found in the meat or milk of treated animals (13).…”

“…Specifically, previous research has shown meloxicam to be efficacious in mitigating pain associated with castration ( 1 ), dehorning ( 2 – 5 ), mastitis ( 6 ), dystocia ( 7 , 8 ) and diarrhea ( 9 ). Additionally, pain has been evaluated in the post-partum period with a pressure mat and showed that an altered hindlimb weight distribution is likely due to decreased pain associated with meloxicam treatment ( 10 ).…”

Effect of bupivacaine liposome suspension administered as a cornual nerve block on indicators of pain and distress during and after cautery dehorning in dairy calves

“…Recently, gait analysis was used to support the approval of a transdermal formulation of flunixin, which is the first analgesic compound labeled for cattle to control pain associated with foot rot in the United States (FDA, 2017). The pressure mat gait analysis has also been used to assess pain associated with lameness in cattle and swine, castration in cattle, and parturition in cattle (Pairis-Garcia et al, 2015;Kleinhenz et al, 2018;Kleinhenz et al, 2019). To our knowledge, this is the first study that has used gait analysis to assess pain associated with dehorning in calves.…”

Assessment of diagnostic accuracy of biomarkers to assess lung consolidation in calves with induced bacterial pneumonia using receiver operating characteristic curves

“…Kinematic gait analysis in cattle has not been well-characterized in the past but is becoming more prevalently used as a diagnostic tool ( Pairis-Garcia et al, 2015 ; Kleinhenz et al, 2018 , 2019a ). A commercially available floor mat–based gait system can be used to assess variables such as gait distance and weight distribution ( Coetzee et al, 2017 ).…”