Source: Mars
Researchers at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences studied how nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help cows during the transition from late pregnancy to milk production, a critical period often marked by high inflammation, poor health, and lower milk yield. The study, published in the Journal of Dairy Science, tested aspirin and meloxicam on 170 cows and 63 heifers, finding that targeted treatments improved outcomes.
Heifers given meloxicam produced an average of 11 more pounds of milk in the first 150 days. Over-conditioned cows (those with excess body fat) also showed increased milk production when treated with meloxicam but only in weeks 10-15. Meanwhile, aspirin significantly reduced disease rates in over-conditioned cows, with only 21% developing diseases compared to 38% in other groups.
The study highlights the shift from blanket treatments to targeted therapies for at-risk cows. Further research is needed to confirm findings and explore treatments for other groups.