Photosensitivity after corticosteroid injections to induce calving

Authors: Tyndel J
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 32, Issue 7, pp 119-120, Jul 1984
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Endocrine/autocrine/paracrine, Parturition, Parturition - induced, Photosensitivity, Toxicology, Disease/defect, Reproduction, Reproduction - female, Reproduction - hormones, Integument/skin/wool/hair/fur/feather
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: The practice of inducing cows to calve before the normal full gestational period is widespread, and is now being demanded by dairy farmer clients. The number of inductions performed appears to be rising yearly. Over a number of years owners of induced cows have reported the occurrence of skin irritation on teats and escutcheons mostly about 7 to 14 days post partum. The drugs used have been blamed for this undesirable and painful condition, it being claimed that the medication used by one veterinarian would be less injurious than that used by another. 119 In order to test whether this was so I tried using different corticosteriods on different farms, but could not determine by this means whether it was indeed the drugs that were causing the problem. Last season an occasion presented itself for a field experiment. I was asked to induce a batch of 76 late-calving cows, and the farmer insisted that a different drug be used this time as he didn`t want a repetition of teat irritation problems…

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