Building a new calf shed
By Bogdan Butnaru, Vet MRCVS

Getting the roof, walls & sides, floor and internal design right for healthier calves

Building a new calf shed can seem daunting, whether it is a self-build or professionally designed and built. Good calf housing comes down to fresh air, low moisture, good drainage, dry bedding, suitable temperatures, enough space and calf comfort. Design the building around the calf, rather than simply adapting an existing building.

1. THE ROOF – KEEPING AIR MOVING

The roof plays a vital role in ventilation, temperature and moisture control. Good ridge ventilation allows warm, moist air to escape. As a guide, provide around 0.04m² of ridge outlet per calf up to 100kg, increasing to 0.1m² for growing stock. Rooflights provide natural light, but south-facing rooflights can increase heat gain. Consider prevailing wind and rain direction and avoid creating a building that is too enclosed.

2. THE WALLS & SIDES – FRESH AIR WITHOUT DRAUGHTS

Walls and sides control fresh-air entry and protect calves from wind and rain. Ensure sufficient inlet area and that openings work effectively with the roof outlet. Open sides, Yorkshire boarding, curtains or pull-up sides can all work, depending on the site and design.

FRESH AIR → GOOD AIR MOVEMENT → NO DIRECT

DRAUGHT AT CALF LEVEL

High humidity can make calves feel colder and allow pathogens to survive for longer. Keeping the building dry and well ventilated is therefore important for disease control.

3. THE FLOOR – KEEP THE BED DRY

Floors and drainage are key to controlling moisture. Concrete floors should have a minimum slope of 5% (1 in 20). Drainage channels can remove water and urine and keep passageways clean.

Drain water away from the bed – not through the bed.

If a calf’s legs are fully covered in straw when lying down, there is sufficient straw to allow nesting. Calf pens should be cleaned out at least every 30 days, with wash water draining away without contaminating neighbouring pens.

4. INTERNAL DESIGN – DESIGN FOR THE CALF

The layout should make it easy to feed, bed, clean and manage calves. Allow at least 1.5m² per calf up to 150kg, 2.0m² between 150–200kg and 3.0m² above 200kg. Pen size should suit group size and feeding system, with enough front space for calves to feed comfortably.

Calves under eight weeks have a reduced ability to regulate body temperature, so newborns may need extra energy below 10–15°C. The priority is always fresh air without direct draughts.

BUILD VENTILATION INTO THE DESIGN

Ventilation must do more than move air. It removes excess heat, water vapour, microorganisms, dust , distributes fresh air and maintains suitable air speed at calf level. Natural ventilation can use the stack effect, allowing warm, moist air to rise and escape.

Positive pressure tube ventilation (PPTV) can provide controlled fresh air throughout the shed. It should run continuously, delivering air evenly at calf level without direct draughts, with an air speed of around 0.2m/s.

Remember practical details such as drinkers away from bedding, separate isolation facilities, safe access for feeding and cleaning, and allowing for calves to grow. Where practical, avoid sharing airspace with older cattle.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The number of calves determines the required building size, air inlet and outlet areas and ventilation capacity.

A successful calf shed should provide fresh air, good drainage, dry bedding, suitable temperatures, enough space and a draught-free environment.

Before building, ask:

Where will the fresh air come from? Where will the moisture go? How will I keep calves warm, dry and draught-free?

What we’re learning from gene expression on dairy farms

At Friars Moor Livestock Health, we’ve always believed that technology should support better decision-making on farm, not replace the experience and judgement that comes from working with cattle every day.

As part of our Innovate UK ADOPT funded project, Unlocking Dairy Potential: Gene Expression and Environmental Management in Practice, we’ve now reached an exciting milestone. Following the completion of sampling and analysis, all participating farms have received their first gene expression reports and recommendations. The focus is now shifting from data collection to understanding how these findings can be used to support practical herd health improvements.

Moving beyond the report

One of the most common questions surrounding any new technology is simple: does it tell us anything useful that we don’t already know?

So far, the early signs are encouraging. The gene expression analysis has highlighted a number of biological themes across participating farms, allowing us to look beneath the surface of traditional performance metrics and explore how cows are responding to their environment, nutrition and management.

What’s been particularly interesting is how closely some of the findings have aligned with issues already being identified through routine veterinary work. At Leweston Farm, for example, increasing mastitis incidence had already become an area of concern. Encouragingly, the analysis highlighted Immunity & Inflammation as a key priority area. While this doesn’t provide all the answers, it demonstrates that the technology is identifying biological signals that correspond with real-world herd health observations, which is exactly the sort of relationship we hoped to explore through the project.

The importance of veterinary interpretation

One of the most valuable lessons from the project so far has been the role that veterinary expertise plays in interpreting AI-generated insights.

The technology is capable of analysing vast amounts of biological information and identifying patterns that would otherwise remain hidden. But understanding what those findings mean within the context of an individual farm remains critical.

As practising farm vets, we’re able to compare these outputs against health records, fertility trends, disease challenges, management practices and our own knowledge of each herd. In many cases, the findings reinforce observations already being made on farm, giving us confidence that the technology is identifying meaningful biological signals rather than simply generating interesting data.

Rather than producing another report, what matters is using those insights to ask better questions: could underlying immune pressures be contributing to disease challenges? Are there management factors influencing performance that aren’t immediately visible through traditional herd records?

By combining advanced biological analysis with veterinary knowledge and practical farm experience, we can help farmers focus attention on the areas most likely to make a genuine difference to herd health, welfare and productivity.

Turning insights into action

As with many innovative technologies, the reports contain a long list of recommendations and potential areas for investigation. The challenge is deciding where to start.

For this reason, the project team has been working with participating farms to prioritise recommendations based on practicality, likely impact and relevance to current herd challenges. Rather than attempting to tackle every suggestion at once, the aim is to identify manageable actions that can be implemented and monitored over time.

At Longmoor Farm, this process has helped identify several priority areas for further investigation, including vitamin and mineral status, nutritional evaluation of the milking cow ration and assessment of the silage being fed to calves. Alongside these investigations, the farm has agreed a number of key performance indicators to monitor throughout the project, including milk yield, somatic cell counts and involuntary cull rates.

By combining biological insights with practical farm objectives, we can focus attention on a small number of measurable actions and assess whether interventions are actually moving the needle on herd health and productivity. This process of questioning, investigating and prioritising is where the technology will earn its keep.

A glimpse of the future

Artificial intelligence is appearing in almost every industry, and farming and agriculture are no exception.

As datasets become more complex and biological information becomes more accessible, there will be an increasing need for trusted advisers who can bridge the gap between technology and practical farm management. Veterinary practices are uniquely placed to fulfil this role. We understand animal health, production systems, farm economics and the realities of implementing change on commercial livestock farms. Our job is to help translate complex information into meaningful decisions, and the ADOPT project is giving us the chance to explore what that future might look like.

Looking ahead

The next phase of the project will focus on implementing and monitoring priority actions across the participating farms. Over time, we’ll be able to assess whether the recommendations generated through gene expression analysis lead to measurable improvements in herd health and performance.

Perhaps most importantly, we’ll continue evaluating whether this technology can provide information that’s genuinely useful to farmers and their advisers. As an independent veterinary practice, that remains our primary interest.

We look forward to sharing further updates as the project progresses, and to continuing the conversation around how emerging technologies can support the future of dairy herd health management.

VITAMINS

Article written by Lucy Hepworth

Vitamin status at risk in calves without the green grass of the Blackmore Vale! As a result of investigating some calf health issues in the last month, we have been checking vitamin status and identified some vitamin A and E deficiencies.

Vitamins are plentiful in green grass, but in the brown fields over the summer, the grass plant produces far fewer vitamins. Cattle and sheep store excess vitamin A and E for approximately 3 months in their livers, but if they are getting less than required especially when calving/lambing the calf/lamb will be deficient as well, as calves/lambs receive majority of their requirements through colostrum.

Vitamin A and E deficiency may present in calves as:

• An increased stillbirth rate or weak slow calves
• Increased susceptibility to scours and pneumonia
• Born with cataracts or with vision problems including night blindness.
• Thickened rough skin

Vitamins will be added to dry cow rolls, dry cow mineral, ewe rolls, licks etc but intake levels will depend on rate of inclusion and feed rates. Vitamins degrade in forage over time. When checking the levels in calves and lambs, we check samples for colostrum intake first and then submit for vitamin levels.

BVD – still living in the Blackmore Vale!

Farmers and vets have been talking about BVD ‘bovine viral diarrhoea’ since the 1950’s but it still catches us out locally. If you have breeding cattle then you will have either opted to vaccinate your heifers and cows to protect the pregnancy, or together we may believe you can trust your biosecurity well enough that you will monitor your clear status.

If you choose to monitor then this needs to be robust so that you can rely on knowing if there has been a breakdown:

Dairies, do you quarterly milk test for antibody and check once/twice yearly for PCR virus?

Dairy and beef, do you do an annual youngstock screen of each and every management group of youngstock (9-18 months)?

Dairy and beef, if you ear tag and test, do you do all your calves? This varies across units of whether all are done including stillbirths, or just replacements.

A breakdown in one of our naïve beef suckler herds has been frustrating this year. Biosecurity appeared tight and annual youngstock screens were always negative. The first we knew of the virus introduction was a positive youngstock screen (positive on 4/12 bloods). The herd vaccinated straight away, and all animals were screened with ear tags with a positive yearling detected. A youngstock screen of one management group 6 months earlier had been clear. The calf crop of 2026 has all been ear tag and tested, the few positives were stillborn calves which would not have been tested on many farms. We now have assurance that all animals on farm are negative, and the vaccine is protecting the herd going forwards.

Another case in one of our dairy herds highlights how easily BVD can go undetected:

The herd had previously experienced BVD, with PIs identified and culled, and the herd vaccinated. Vaccination was subsequently stopped 13 years ago. Since then, occasional BVD PCR testing had been negative. A bulk milk antibody test in 2024 was slightly positive, prompting the farm to restart vaccination, but the 2025 booster was missed. This was picked up during the 2026 health plan – a useful reminder of the importance of thoroughly reviewing infectious disease control.

A youngstock screen found all five bulling heifers strongly positive for BVD antibodies. Using Animal Health and Welfare Pathway funding, a whole-herd PI hunt was then carried out, identifying four PIs shedding virus within the herd. The farm is now tag-and-testing all calves and has restarted a robust vaccination programme. Although the herd rears its own replacements, rarely buys in bulls and has few neighbouring herds, BVD can still enter via cattle contact, contaminated boots, clothing, equipment or vehicles.

The key message: don’t assume your herd is low risk. If you are not fully compliant with BVD vaccination, make sure your screening programme is robust. Bulk milk testing alone may not detect infection in youngstock quickly enough.

Steering Group Bovine TB Strategy Recommendations

Article by Paul Doran MA, VetMB, MRCVs.

In June this year, the Steering Group of the Bovine TB partnership for England published new recommendations for the bTB control strategy for England. This received some interest but has then been a little overshadowed by more pressing concerns such as the prolonged dry weather, heat stressed cattle, heat stressed farmers and the alarming rise in Bluetongue cases throughout the UK.

The steering group includes representatives from APHA, Defra, the British Cattle Veterinary Association, scientific experts and cattle farmers. Both the full document and a summary can be found on the main page of the TB Hub website: https://tbhub.co.uk/

bTB is rarely a subject greeted with huge enthusiasm. The epidemiology of the disease can be fascinating, but dealing with the practicalities is frustrating. Given the stress, extra work and financial burden that bovine TB control creates for cattle farmers, and its high prevalence in the South West, it’s often hard not to feel powerless about the situation.

I was therefore pleased reading the new strategy recommendations, to find many to be refreshingly sensible. Although cattle vaccination still appears to be viewed as the ‘holy grail’, there are a range of more immediately implementable recommendations as summarised below:

Herd Risk Scores

APHA produces a monthly TB risk score for every cattle herd in England, but this is not currently published or shared with farmers. It’s suggested the risk scores could be shared privately with farmers in the first instance to help them understand and manage risk and later be made publicly available to inform risk-based trading.

Managing Infection in persistently infected & high risk herds

It’s suggested the testing regime which allows a herd to regain Officially Bovine TB-Free status should be altered for persistently infected herds, utilising more sensitive testing to reduce spread of infection through cattle movements & sales once these herds become unrestricted.

Resolved IRs

Resolved inconclusive reactors (IRs), must continue to remain restricted to the holding for life as is currently the case.  The group recommend removing the option to lift restrictions from these animals via interferon-gamma blood testing. Farmers should be encouraged to manage resolved IRs out of the herd e.g. by sending to slaughter as soon as practical.

Use of Ancillary Tests

Several methods of testing for TB aside from the skin test and interferon-gamma tests exist. No test is perfect, but these tests have potential to better assess individual animal risk and support herd management, in a similar way to how Johne’s disease testing has been used to reduce prevalence in the national herd.

Use of these tests is heavily restricted as they can only be used under license from APHA in herds currently under restriction.  The testing is done at the farmer’s expense and any positive to animals must be culled from the herd promptly. Consequently, there is little appetite for use of these ‘ancillary tests’ despite their potential.

The strategy recommendations outline a plan for a scheme whereby rules around this testing could become less restrictive, making it more practical to implement.

Cattle Vaccination

There is discussion of the urgent need to overcome the remaining hurdles to implementing cattle vaccination alongside a skin test that differentiates infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). The suggested goal is to be in a position to deploy cattle vaccination by 2030.

It’s s recommended that initial roll-out of vaccination should focus on high risk areas.

Greater flexibility of TB testing intervals in proportion to risk

Increase the capacity and practicality of AFUs and other biosecure routes to slaughter

Enhanced movement testing to protect farmers from inadvertently buying in infection

e.g. export interpretation of the skin test (there must be no bovine reaction at all for an animal to move) – to be used in high risk situations.

Clearer and more rapid support from APHA at breakdown disclosure

Farm level data, local epidemiological information and guidance on case management & biosecurity being made rapidly available to farmers & their private vets

Adopt a more locally responsive TB control system (rather than always a blanket policy for large geographical areas)

Wildlife Control

It’s recommended that use of badger vaccination is expanded and that surveillance for TB in both badgers and deer is improved. It’s also recommended that implementation of practical and low cost biosecurity measures to reduce risk of wildlife to cattle transmission are continually encouraged.

Conclusion

Many of these recommendations encompass common-sense ideas that have been discussed or suggested by both farmers and private vets for some time so it’s refreshing to see them in a published list of recommendations. The question that remains now is how long we might reasonably be expected to wait before the recommendations start to be implemented.

The government’s aim is for England to achieve Officially Bovine TB-Free status by 2038 which is unlikely to be achieved by continuing as we are so change is desperately needed.

Summer round-up

Article by Eleanor Livingstone, Senior Veterinary Lead, BVSc MRCVS DBR

With the summer months in full swing, we are all appreciating the long days although perhaps not so much the extreme heat! For stock and their keepers alike, the recent heatwaves have proved a challenge and leave us wondering what the rest of the summer may have in store.

In the short-term strategies to maximise shade, considering housing during the heat of the day and where possible reducing stocking densities can all help. We would encourage that feeding stock should be done in cooler parts of the day where possible and reducing handling during the heat of the day is also advisable.

We have seen some brilliant ideas from farmers trying to aid their stock in keeping cool, especially homemade sprinkler type systems to increase evaporative cooling of the animals. Many farmers provided hose showers to cattle in the peak of the heat wave and I suspect enjoyed the water splashing themselves!

If you are having any routine healthcare procedures undertaken in any future periods of extreme heat please do contact us and we will work with you where possible to try and avoid the hottest parts of the day.

In the longer term it leaves us all wondering whether more extreme weather events may become more normal and how we will combat these. How can we harness the potential of the excess rainfall we have within certain winter months? Undoubtedly a nuisance at the time but a valuable resource as the seasons change.

We see more and more fans being installed, these are brilliant for aiding in air flow but very energy thirsty and thus solar panels are often installed alongside. How can we improve shade at grazing? Or water trough availability to maximise the use of shadier grazing areas. There are many questions that will be asked in the years to come about how to adapt our farming systems to future proof ourselves against climate change.

As the summer progresses, we look forward to the many social opportunities that the agricultural shows provide us. We will have our usual pitch at the Gillingham and Shaftesbury show on the 19th & 20th August, serving a BBQ lunch on both Wednesday and Thursday and tea and cake throughout the rest of the day.

We will also have hospitality at The Melplash Show in Bridport on the 27th August, providing an opportunity for our more westerly clients to spend time with the team and will see many more clients at the Dorset County show on the 5th & 6th September where we sponsor the sheep shearing.

As a team it is a real highlight of our year seeing so many clients and sharing some food and drink. We are so fortunate to be immersed in such a tight knit agricultural community, and the summer show season is an opportunity to appreciate the very best of this community. We wish all of our clients who will be showing animals the very best of luck and look forward to enjoying a catch up with the multiple generations of families that we are able to see all together on show days.

Bluetongue Essentials

Bluetongue cases are on the rise again across the SW and Welsh border and it remains important to stay vigilant and respond to any suspicious cases immediately. Bluetongue is still notifiable – ring a vet for advice or report directly to the APHA. Currently all of England and Wales are in the same Restriction Zone, which means that pre-movement blood sampling is only required for export to Scotland/abroad.

Bluetongue is a virus spread by midges. There is no cattle-cattle, cattle-sheep etc transmission, however the same infected midge could infect multiple animals in a group, making it seem infectious between animals.

This year’s outbreak has seen more extensive spread and more severe disease than previously, particularly in sheep. Mortality of sheep testing positive is around 25%. Clinical disease is more obvious in sheep.

Monitoring your flock/herd carefully and look out for the following clinical signs:

CATTLE

• Crusting around nostrils
• Weeping eyes
• Ulcers in mouth
• Lesions on teats
• Interdigital lesions
• Milk drop
• Inappetant
• Abortions, foetal deformities, stillbirths

Sheep

• Facial swelling
• Drooling
• Rapid loss of body condition,
• Fever
• Crusting around nostrils
• Clear/mucousy nasal discharge
• Ulcers in the lower lip and dental pad
• Lethargy, unable to stand

CALVES

• Small, weak calves
• Deformities
• Stillbirths
• Born blind
• Typically die within a few days of birth

What to do if you suspect Bluetongue?

Liaise with a vet and contact APHA to report suspicion of disease – taking pictures for vets/APHA can be helpful! APHA funded blood testing is then carried out by us, not APHA vets. Current turn around for results is estimated to be around a week due to the high volume of cases. Because BTV is a virus there is no direct treatment, instead the focus is on supportive care – speak to your vet for the most appropriate treatment for the affected animal.

There are currently no further movement restrictions, blood testing or cull orders for test positive animals.

Vaccination

Vaccination remains best practice, but a surge in demand due to the current outbreak means that there is high demand and some stock issues at the wholesaler – please ring the practice to discuss the best vaccine for you and current availability, as it will change on a day-to-day basis.

Heat stress in dairy cows

Article written by Yoav Alony-Gilboa DVM MRCVS CertSHP

As temperatures continue to rise globally year on year, farms are required to tackle heat stress in order to avoid considerable losses. Care should be taken to look at all stages of growth, from day one calves, to adult (both milking and dry) cows.

Heat stress occurs when a cow absorbs and produces more heat than she can lose to the environment.

High ambient temperature, humidity, and exposure to solar radiation, alongside the metabolic heat produced by the cow when digesting feed, will cause cattle to accumulate heat. Dairy cattle will try to “lose heat” by sweating, panting, and standing where cooler air blows over them. When ambient temperature rises above 24°C and relative humidity reaches above 70%, cows will struggle to lose excess heat. The length of exposure to heat stress is also a major factor, and when continuously exposed to mild to moderate heat stress for more than 17 hours, dairy cows will drop yield by an average of 2 kg of milk.

Cows with heat stress become less active, breath rapidly or pant and drool. Their dry matter intake and feed conversion efficiency will drop and as a result so will their milk yield and milk solids (fat and sometimes protein). Heat stressed cows will spend more time standing (to increase their exposed body surface), often in pooled slurry, trying to cool their body and feet. This type of behaviour will predispose them to lameness due to solar ulcers and digital dermatitis. Cows will often bunch together in the coolest place available or lay down in wet areas, thus increasing the chance of mastitis.

Dry cows that have struggled with heat stress during the transition period will often calve early, produce lighter calves, and colostrum low both in quantity and quality. After calving, these cows will be predisposed to ketosis, metritis, and displaced abomasum and often struggle to reach their full milk production potential.

Conception rate drops during times of heat stress. Cows will exhibit oestrus behaviour for shorter periods, resulting in an increased number of “open days”, and higher overall culling rate. Synchronisation protocols and timed insemination might help somewhat to negate this negative effect. Conception rates may continue to be low as follicular development is suboptimal. High twinning rate is also often observed.

Youngstock also suffer with heat stress . Milk fed calves must always have clean water available to them – as milk feeding alone might lead to dehydration and death. As feed conversion efficiency and feed intake drops, care should be taken to reduce heat stress otherwise, animals may fail to achieve their growth targets.

Animals who suffer from or have chronic lung damage because of pneumonia, will struggle more than others to lose heat to the environment via their damaged respiratory system.

Heat stress can be reduced using a combination of means, some will require a capital investment, but some can be achieved at little cost:

• Present animals with high quality feed to reduce metabolic heat production.

• Ensure enough trough space and possibly present the bulk of the feed in the evening, when temperatures drop, and intakes increase.

• Ensure constant, ample supply of fresh, clean water to all age groups.

• When on pasture, ensure water troughs are close by so cows can access easily.

• Provide shade to cows at pasture, or house during the hot hours of the day.

• Reduce stocking density in sheds and ensure ample shade is provided. Insulate roofs where possible.

• Ensure adequate ventilation and a flow of fresh air in sheds.

• “Shower” cows in collecting yards or feed passages and cool the air around them with high pressure misters. When wetting animals, control the amount of water used, and wipe the teats dry before cluster attachment during milking, to reduce the chances of mastitis.

• Use blast fans to ensure fresh air circulation around the animals and help keep feed, beds, and teats dry.

• Fan installation is a financial investment, and these systems will increase running and maintenance costs. However, reducing the level of heat stress is probably a worthy investment on most farms due to both short- and long-term effects described. We would be happy to advise further on ways of reducing heat stress to cows. As no two farms are the same, a bespoke plan should be considered for each farm, get in touch with the Farm Office to find out more.

Making timely welfare decisions for injured livestock

Article written by Martha Twist, BVSc MRCVS

“When you’ve got livestock, you’ve got deadstock” is a phrase that farmers and vets hear all too often. While it may sound blunt, it reflects an unfortunate reality of livestock farming. Despite everyone’s best efforts, accidents happen, injuries occur, and sometimes sick animals simply don’t recover.

In these situations, one of the most important responsibilities of livestock ownership is ensuring that animals do not suffer unnecessarily. By law, farmers have a duty of care to protect the welfare of animals under their management. Where an animal is suffering and treatment is unlikely to be successful, humane killing is not only permitted but may be the most appropriate and legally required course of action.

When faced with a severely injured or unwell animal, it can be helpful to ask four simple questions:

• Can the animal recover?
• Can it recover without prolonged suffering?
• Is treatment practical and humane?
• Is transport to the abattoir legal and humane?

If the answer to these questions is no, then prompt dispatch is often the kindest option. Our on-call vets are always available to provide advice and emergency assistance, and we aim to respond rapidly when urgent situations arise. However, there are circumstances where waiting for a vet may not be the most practical solution. Emergencies rarely happen at convenient times, and there may be situations where immediate action is required to prevent unnecessary suffering.

For this reason, we believe livestock farmers should be equipped with the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to carry out humane emergency dispatch when necessary. Appropriate training ensures that decisions can be made promptly and that equipment is used safely, legally and effectively.

To help farmers prepare for these difficult situations, we offer practical emergency dispatch and captive bolt training courses. These sessions cover welfare considerations, legal responsibilities, equipment selection and maintenance, and the safe and effective use of captive bolt equipment across different livestock species.

Captive bolts are the only humane euthanasia method that can be used on all livestock species at all ages without the need for a firearms license.

No farmer wants to be faced with the decision to euthanise an animal. However, being prepared before an emergency occurs can make all the difference to animal welfare when difficult situations arise.

If you would like to find out more about our upcoming emergency dispatch and captive bolt training courses, please contact the practice for further details.

Feedback from the last course:

“Helpful to learn how to dismantle and maintain the captive bolt gun”

“Felt confident to use the captive bolt after instruction”

“A thorough overview on the legalities and ethics of on-farm slaughter”

NSAID use in livestock: Applications in calves, heifers, mastitis and more

Article written by Helen Rogers MA, VetMB, MRCVS, DBR

As prey species, the expression of pain in livestock is a risky one, as it signals weakness to a predator. Why would you want to appear weak when surrounded by lions on the savannah?! Is this the reason that injured ruminants always lie with their affected leg under them? I am often laughed at when describing why behaviours in ruminants have developed, but this knowledge helps us understand why ruminants appear so stoical, even if they are in pain.

An indirect benefit of the industry focus on responsible use of antibiotics is that we have become much better at providing supportive care to livestock. NSAID use to provide pain relief and reduce inflammation, alongside fluid therapy to correct dehydration and encourage food intake are now the go-to treatments when faced with off colour ruminants. The dairy industry has embraced the use of both pain relief and fluid therapy, in part due to the ease of handling their cattle, but it is really encouraging to see the beef and sheep industry moving in the same direction.

Benchmarking use of antibiotics or pain relief within beef and sheep herds is very challenging, as we have to calculate the total average kg of bodyweight on farm throughout the year!As a starting point for benchmarking this data, we have looked at mg of active ingredient of NSAIDs used on some of our suckler cow farms, as a proportion of bodyweight on farm (estimated at the point at which this was at its highest).

The graph shows the range of usage. In these suckler farms, the range of usage was influenced by factors such as an outbreak of pneumonia in weaned calves but also by the farmer’s perception of what would benefit from the pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties of NSAID drugs.

There are many documented benefits to using pain relief in calves. For example, in cases of neonatal diarrhoea, a single dose of meloxicam has been shown to make calves more likely to consume their entire milk allowance, eat more starter food and gain more weight when compared to calves treated with only antibiotics (Todd et al., 2010). Similarly, in calves with bovine respiratory disease, the addition of NSAID alongside antibiotic treatment reduced lung lesions and increased average daily weight gain.

There is also some interesting work suggesting the benefit of providing pain relief to newborn calves, born with assistance. At our suckler cow benchmarking meeting we discussed this topic whilst comparing results of transfer of antibodies in colostrum to newborn calves. The farm with the best results has both an excellent policy around colostrum harvesting and supplementation, but also treats any calves suspected of having a more difficult birth with a single dose of meloxicam. We have no proof to directly link the two, but it was a great illustration of how holistic broad thinking can benefit our livestock and how differently we now view pain within the industry.

In adult cattle, the use of pain relief has increased hugely within our clients at Friars Moor Livestock Health. It is no longer reserved just for severe cases such as toxic mastitis or a bad calving.Some of this uptake has been around treatment and prevention of lameness. There is some great work by Thomas (2015), showing that the combination of treating a lame cow with trimming, a block, and NSAIDs is significantly more effective than trimming alone. Thomas’s 2016 paper illustrated the importance of providing this treatment promptly, as the effects were not significant in the chronically lame cow, albeit these cows should be provided with pain relief on welfare grounds.

Work illustrating how mobility improves through the use of pain relief is also really fascinating. A 10% improvement in 1st lactation heifer mobility was found if heifers were treated at the point of calving with ketoprofen for three days and at every lameness event thereafter (Wilson, 2022). Again, this work challenges our perceptions of pain and inflammation and makes us think more broadly about how we should use pain relief within our ruminants.

The increasing use of technology means that we are now capable of detecting painful conditions much earlier.Early detection allows us to use supportive treatments such as fluid therapy and pain relief at an early stage of the disease, whilst we determine what is wrong with the animal and whether further therapies are required. It will be really interesting to see how supportive therapies evolve over the next few years and the benefit this provides to our livestock.