Milk residues following multiple doses of meloxicam and gabapentin in postpartum and mid-lactation dairy cows

Abstract

Management of pain is a significant welfare concern for lactating dairy cattle. There is a lack of approved pain medications for lactating dairy cattle. A combination therapy of gabapentin, a GABA analog and meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, are commonly used for analgesia in cattle in an extra-label manner. The objective of this study was to determine the number of days milk residues could be detected when meloxicam was administered alone or in combination with gabapentin in both postpartum and midlactation cows following multiple doses.