Randomized controlled trial assessing the effects of xylazine sedation in 2- to 6-week-old dairy calves disbudded with a cautery iron

The use of local anesthesia and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) can reduce indicators pain inflammation encourage self-rewarding behavior in calves following disbudding. Although the sedation may be recommended as best practice for disbudding, there is little research this area. objective study was to evaluate effects xylazine conjunction with anesthetic an NSAID undergoing cautery One hundred twenty-two group-housed female male Holstein fed milk automated feeders, aged 13 44 d, were enrolled over 9 replicates randomly allocated 1 2 treatments: (1) sedated: lidocaine cornual nerve block, 0.5 mg/kg meloxicam (administered subcutaneously) 0.2 intramuscularly), or (2) nonsedated: block meloxicam. Outcomes collected consisted feeding (collected using feeders), latency drink play (induced by adding bedding), lying behavior, mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT, measured pressure force algometer), struggling during length time administer disbud, serum haptoglobin concentrations. Data analyzed mixed models fixed effect baseline values random trial replicate. Linear regression used assess continuous outcomes, logistic binary Poisson negative binomial count data if dispersion term significant. There no detected differences between treatment groups mean daily consumption 72-h Sedated had reduced average drinking speed from 0 24 h 48 disbudding compared nonsedated calves, but difference 72 h. MNT at 0, 60, 240 min after Nonsedated 4.5 times odds (95% CI: 1.5–13.2) more than twice procedure sedated it took less nonsedated. At +3 h, 79 22.4 279.2) likely 0.93–4.3). results indicate that responded painful stimuli (disbudding MNT) both higher rate also have prolonged carryover affects suckling sedation.