PSI-41 Impacts of Flunixin Meglumine injection on wound score and swelling appearance of either rubber ring castrated and tail docked or surgically castrated and docked lambs

Abstract

Abstract Our hypothesis was that administering Flunixin Meglumine (FM) to lambs that were either rubber ring castrated and docked (RR) or surgically castrated and emasculator docked (SC) would decrease swelling and wound appearance score. Rambouillet ram lambs (n = 181) were allocated in a completely randomized design in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments to determine the effects of RR or SC and emasculator docking on ram lambs with administration of FM (2.2 mg/kg of BW) or saline (S; 2.2 mg/kg of BW). Wounds were assessed on days 4 and 7 post-treatment. The Wound Assessment Scale ranged from 1 – 5 and was determined from levels of discharge, scabbing, and wound healing. The swelling score was also a 1 - 5 scale, varying from no swelling, large amounts, or healed. Scrotal wound exhibited a treatment x day interaction (P < 0.001), however tail wound score (P = 0.84) and scrotal swelling (P = 0.36) were not affected. The SC treated lambs had a higher wound score on day 4 and 7 when compared to the RR treated lambs for both the scrotum and tail score (P < 0.001). Flunixin Meglumine had no effect on wound score of the scrotum (P > 0.50) and tail (P > 0.43) for both RR and SC groups. However, RR treated lambs had higher swelling scores on day 4 and 7 (P < 0.001). Flunixin Meglumine administration did not influence swelling score in treated lambs (P > 0.43). Surgical castration resulted in an increase in wound score compared to rubber ring castrated and docked lambs, but rubber ring castrated and docked lambs had an increase in wound swelling. Flunixin Meglumine did not have an impact on either wound score or wound swelling, regardless of castration method.