Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy for neonatal calf diarrhea complex: Effects on calf performance

Todd, C. G.; Millman, S. T.; McKnight, D. R.; Duffield, T. F.; Leslie, K. E.

The MEL and PLA treatments were randomized according to a formal random allocation process and blocked for severity of diarrhea (mild vs. severe diarrhea). To ensure that the technical staff was blinded to treatment assignment and that randomization was achieved, the treatments were prepared in double-blind vials and administered in numerical sequence as calves were enrolled in the study. All MEL and PLA treatments were administered at approximately 0930 h on the day of enrollment, under the skin of the neck, anterior to the right shoulder using a 20 gauge, 2.5-cm needle. Injection sites were examined daily for signs of swelling. Beginning on the day of enrollment, the calves were also provided with ad libitum oral electrolyte solution (Calf-Lyte II, Vétoquinol, Lavaltrie, Quebec, Canada), and supplementation continued until fecal consistency returned to a fecal score of 1 or 2. The mean daily intake of oral electrolyte solution for the calves was 3.4 ± 1.0 L. In addition, any calf with diarrhea or other clinical illness that required intravenous fluid or antimicrobial therapy was treated as indicated in the standard operating procedures for therapy of the specific clinical illness.