Healthier and safer sedation methods for calves during disbudding - project starts

New animal welfare legislation in Finland will most likely ban disbudding of calves without proper pain medication. However, hardly any research exist on the use of multi-modal sedatives on young pre-ruminant calves. The Finnish ministry of agriculture and forestry funded a project at the Faculty of veterinary medicine, aiming at finding safer and healthier sedation methods for calves

The benefits of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for treating pain after disbudding has been studied during recent years but less is known about the optimal sedation protocol to ensure quick recovery, enhance post-operative analgesia and reduce hypothermia-related problems. We aim at here to study the sedative already on market to benefit calf welfare and health during disbudding. We will also updated the Disbudding Guide and educate producers and veterinarians about disbudding practices and related medication protocols.

 

MORE INFO:

project head
PhD, DVM Laura Hänninen, laura.hanninen(at)helsinki.fi
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PIs:
PhD, DVM Ann-Helena Hokkanen, ann-helena.hokkanen(at)helsinki.fi
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PhD, DVM  Kati Salla, kati.salla(at)helsinki.fi
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