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Sixty-six piglets (5-6 days of age) were allotted into 4 groups in a way to test the effect of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on stress and pain induced by surgical castration: castration (C); castration+tolfenamic acid (T); castration+meloxicam (M); simulation of castration (S).
M pigs spent more time during castration trying to escape than C and Tpigs (41±9 vs. 34±1%). T pigs spent less time crying than C pigs (52 ± 22 vs. 70 ± 20%). Vocalization of M pigs had a higher intensity (107 ± 4 vs. 103 ± 2 dB). The mean heart rates in the four groups of piglets were not significantly different. Plasma cortisol concentration measured 30 minutes post-castration in T pigs was higher than in S and M groups (20 ± 4 vs. 17 ± 0 μg/dl). However concentrations measured in C and S groups were not significantly different. Post-castration, S and T pigs tended to spend less time isolated than C pigs. More tremors and spasms were observed in M group than in S group. Tail movements in C pigs were observed more than in S and T pigs. M pigs tended to show more tail movements than T pigs.
Pre-emptive analgesia seemed to reduce stress and pain induced by surgical castration in piglets. Tolfenamic acid tended to be more efficient than meloxicam both during and post-castration.
J. Wavreille, M. Danard, V. Servais, T. Art, B. Nicks, M. Laitat. Analgésie préemptive du porcelet avant la castration : comparaison de l’effet de l’acide tolfénamique et du méloxicam sur la douleur et le stress. 2012. Journées Recherche Porcine, 44, 275-276.
