By John Lovett
At the University of Arkansas (U of A) Division of Agriculture, AFRI-supported research is addressing the challenge of providing longer-lasting pain management for livestock without repeatedly administering drugs. An experimental drug delivery system using microneedle patches offers new possibilities for effective pain relief in farm animals.
The project began with drug trials in cattle, but early results were ineffective. Researchers then shifted to pigs, testing more soluble anti-inflammatory drugs to manage pain after castration and tail docking. According to Dr. Jeremy Powell, a veterinarian and U of A animal science professor, a successful patch could offer five to seven days of pain relief without daily injections or additional handling.
“We’re getting there. We’ve run into some challenges, and we’re going back to the drawing board,” Powell said. “But we think we can make improvements.”
Dr. Kamilah Grant, NIFA national program leader, said the NIFA-supported work being done at Arkansas and other universities is crucial to the continued evolution of animal health and well-being practices and tools.
“Research like the work being done at the University of Arkansas is critical not only to advancing health practices for livestock, but for boosting livestock producers’ profitability,” said Grant. “Innovations such as microneedle patches will reduce operation costs by decreasing the number of injections and limiting costs linked to additional handling.”
Source : usda.gov