A new study1 has highlighted the benefits of using ketoprofen for the treatment of pain and lameness associated with digital dermatitis (DD) in cattle.

Lameness is one of the most significant problems facing the dairy industry worldwide, having a major impact on cattle welfare, health and production, leading to substantial economic losses2. Lameness has been associated with reduced milk yield3, mastitis4, and infertility5 and has been reported to be prevalent in dairy herds in Europe and North America6,7. Within the UK, the mean herd lameness prevalence was recently found to be 30.1%8. Digital dermatitis is one of the most frequently recorded diseases associated with lameness in dairy cattle9.

“New study highlights the benefits of using ketoprofen for the treatment of pain and lameness associated with digital dermatitis in cattle.“

During the study, 158 cows presented with active DD (M1, M2 or M4.1 stage) and were randomly allocated to either the control or the treatment group. All cows were treated with a topical application of oxytetracycline spray. The treatment group also received an intramuscular injection of Ketofen® 10% solution for injection (ketoprofen 3mg/kg). Cows were mobility scored just before they were treated and then again one week later.

The results indicated that animals in the control group were 2.57 times more likely to be lame at the second evaluation compared to those that received Ketofen®, however cows that were lame in the control group prior to treatment and did not receive Ketofen® were over 20 times more likely to remain lame a week post-treatment compared to cows that did receive Ketofen®. Interestingly, this same study showed a milk yield benefit overall; treated cows produced 2.98 kg more milk than control cows (T = 45.35 C = 42.37, p