Transmammary delivery of firocoxib from sows to piglets reduces stress and improves average daily gain after castration, tail docking and teeth clipping

摘要

Each year, more than 50 million piglets in the United States undergo processing procedures (e.g., castration, tail docking, and teeth clipping) that result in post-procedure pain. Pain-related behaviors have been shown to persist for up to 4 days after castration in 5-day-old piglets.' Consumer concern about the animal welfare implications ot painful processing procedures has resulted in investigation of methods to provide analgesia and alleviate distress associated with these practices.2 In the US,no drugs are labeled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mitigate pain in swine. Therefore, the development of pain mitigation strategies that address consumer concerns about animal welfare while still being safe, effective, practical and economical to administer would be beneficial to the swine industry.