Effects of flunixin meglumine and transportation on pregnancy establishment in beef cows

¹ Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Montana State University, Bozeman, 59717
² Department of Biological Sciences, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, 80639
³ USDA-ARS, Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, Miles City, MT, 59301

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tom.geary{at}ars.usda.gov.

	Abstract

Objectives of these studies were to determine effects of flunixin meglumine (FM) administration on early embryonic mortality and circulating prostaglandin and cortisol concentrations in transported and non-transported cows. Cows (n = 483) from 3 locations were used to evaluate effects of transportation and FM approximately 14 d after AI on pregnancy establishment and serum concentrations of progesterone, prostaglandin F metabolite (PGFM), and cortisol. Treatments were transport (n = 129), transport + FM (n = 128), no transport (n = 130) and no transport + FM (n = 96). Multiparous cows (n = 224) were used at 2 locations and nulliparous cows (n = 259) at 1 location. The no transport + FM treatment was used at only 2 locations. Flunixin meglumine (approximately 1.1 mg/kg BW; i.m.) was administered before cows were separated into transportation groups. Transportation included 4 to 6 h of transportation via semi-tractor trailer without calves. Non-transported cows remained penned with their calves in adjacent pens during the same time period as transported cows. Blood samples were collected from all cows before and after treatment and, at 2 locations, approximately 3 h after onset of treatment. Location affected AI pregnancy rate (P < 0.01). Treatment effects, while not significant (P = 0.16), were of a magnitude to be practically important. Cows that received transportation + FM tended (P = 0.07) to have greater AI pregnancy rates (74%) than those that did not receive FM (66%) irrespective of transportation. Cortisol concentration was greater (P < 0.05) for transported cows than for non-transported cows. Cows receiving FM had greater (P < 0.05) AI pregnancy rates than non-FM cows (71 and 61%, respectively). Cows receiving transportation had lower (P < 0.01) mean PGFM concentrations than non-transported cows (45.4 and 54.6 pg/mL, respectively), and cows receiving FM had lower (P < 0.01) mean PGFM concentrations than non-FM cows (39.4 and 60.6, respectively). We conclude transportation of cows approximately 14 d after AI increased serum cortisol concentrations but did not affect AI pregnancy rates. However, treatment of cows with FM increased AI pregnancy rates, irrespective of whether they were transported.

Key Words: cattle, flunixin meglumine, pregnancy establishment, transportation stress

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C.A. Gifford, A.M. Assiri, M.C. Satterfield, T.E. Spencer, and T.L. Ott Receptor Transporter Protein 4 (RTP4) in Endometrium, Ovary, and Peripheral Blood Leukocytes of Pregnant and Cyclic Ewes Biol Reprod, September 1, 2008; 79(3): 518 - 524. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. R. Reuter, J. A. Carroll, J. W. Dailey, B. J. Cook, and M. L. Galyean Effects of dietary energy source and level and injection of tilmicosin phosphate on immune function in lipopolysaccharide-challenged beef steers J Anim Sci, August 1, 2008; 86(8): 1963 - 1976. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]