The effect of ketoprofen on post-partum behaviour in sows

• A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled 3-day trial on 38 sows after farrowing.
• Half of the sows received ketoprofen and the other half sodium chloride intramuscularly as placebo.
• Behaviour of the sows was videotaped for 3 days p.p., in total of 6 h a day.
• Ketoprofen increased the activity of young (parity 2–3) sows but not of old (parity 4–9) sows.
• No effect on piglets was found.

A randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial was conducted in order to estimate pain-related behavioural changes of sows in early lactation. Ketoprofen (KET) was used (3 mg/kg BW) intramuscularly for three consecutive days post-partum (p.p.) on 19 sows. Nineteen sows were used as a control group and they received sodium chloride as placebo (PLAC). All 38 sows were videotaped for 3 days p.p., in total of 6 h a day for behavioural analysis. Percentages, bout lengths and numbers of occasions were calculated from four different body postures (standing, lateral and sternal lying and lying udder towards piglet area, UTP) and active head movements. Numbers of all nursings and percentages of unsuccessful and sow terminated nursings were calculated. Feeding and drinking were observed as numbers of occasions. Differences between treatments (KET and PLAC) and parities (young, parity 2–3 and old, parity 4–9) were analyzed with repeated measures mixed models. No treatment effect was detected on any measured parameter. Interactions between treatment and parity were found for position changes, standing, feeding, drinking and UTP (P < 0.05 for all). Young KET sows presented more position changes than young PLAC sows (29.3 ± 3.0 vs. 20.1 ± 3.0, P = 0.04) and more standing bouts than old KET ones (2.6 ± 0.4 vs. 0.9 ± 0.4, P = 0.03). Young KET sows had more UTP bouts than PLAC peers (4.1 ± 0.4 vs. 2.3 ± 0.4, P = 0.05). Old KET sows drunk less often than PLAC peers (0.6 ± 0.3 vs. 1.5 ± 0.3, P < 0.01) but young KET sows ate more often than old KET sows (2.3 ± 0.4 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3, P = 0.01). Young sows in general appeared more active and they were changing position more frequently than old KET sows. In conclusion, lying passively may be one of the signs of pain after farrowing in young sows and when treated with ketoprofen, they exhibit increase of movement.