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Establishing guidelines for humane treatment of diseased dairy cows

Joe Hogan, animal sciences naomi Botheras, animal sciences
Joe Hogan

Bovine mastitis, a bacterial infection that causes an inflammatory reaction in udder tissue, is the most costly disease in U.S. animal agriculture. It accounts for $2 billion annually in lost production, veterinary care, and reduced quality and quantity of valueadded dairy products in the global market. Mastitis is the most prevalent disease in dairy cows, and therefore the welfare of many cows may be at risk due to pain associated with this disease. Consumers are demanding to know that food animals are treated humanely, and preventing and alleviating pain are important factors in the ethical treatment and care of animals. However, dairy cows often receive no, or inadequate, pain control in the treatment of a range of tissue injuries and systemic illnesses. Treatment of bovine mastitis traditionally has been confined to antimicrobial products. Furthermore, treating pain in dairy cows may have economic benefits for producers, as animals that are free of pain will likely have enhanced performance and productivity. Establishing dairy practices that are both humane and profitable requires empirical trials that assess behavioral changes associated with mastitis and the efficacy of painkillers as mediators of discomfort. Collaboration between scientists at OARDC, OSU Extension, and the Animal Welfare Science Centre in Australia led to the design and completion of benchmark trials to correlate dairy cow behavioral responses with clinical signs of mastitis. The research team used technological advances such as remote image capturing surveillance, as well as traditional physiological measurements of inflammation, to evaluate associations between the cows behavior and their response to mammary irritation. Painkillers administered to cows infected with mastitis reduced systemic physiological signs of disease. These physical responses to painkillers were associated with positive behavioral activities, including increases in

Mastitis is the most prevalent disease in dairy cows, and therefore the welfare of many cows may be at risk due to pain associated with this disease.
feed intake, time resting, and frequency of meals compared with cows with mastitis receiving no painkillers. This projects findings could help agencies such as the World Organization for Animal Health and the International Dairy Federation develop guidelines for a more humane and pragmatic approach to managing pain and discomfort in dairy cows, which has the potential to benefit both the dairy industry and consumers demanding ethical treatment of food-producing animals. Pain relief in cows with mammary disease will enhance their productivity and welfare, yielding an economic benefit for dairy producers.

www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/seeds SEEDS: The OARDC Research Enhancement Competitive Grants Program

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