MEDIA RELEASE PREVIEW
The Australian Veterinary Association
11 April 2014
Livestock need better pain relief
According to Dr Kiro Petrovski, University of Adelaide, pain relief in cattle is not always given the priority it
deserves.
Dr Petrovski said that livestock practitioners should be more proactive in pain relief.
“There’s a widespread belief that cattle are relatively insensitive to pain. This is because they’re prey
animals and will mask signs of pain as part of a survival strategy to divert the attention of predators away
from the sick and injured.
“So identification of pain often goes unnoticed until a disorder is quite advanced.”
Drench resistance a growing problem for dairy farmers
Resistance to de-worming drugs is becoming a huge problem for many farmers. Dr Stephanie Bullen will
argue why introducing new drugs is not a viable solution.
Dr Bullen, from the University of Melbourne, said that heavy reliance on drenching in livestock industries
has led to parasites developing resistance to anthelmintic drugs, particularly in the dairy industry.
“Preliminary results from a study currently underway indicate that there are very high levels of resistance
on dairy farms and more research into strategies specific to the dairy industry needs to be undertaken.
For further information and requests for interviews contact:
Rena Richmond, Media and Campaigns Manager
Ph: 02 9431 5062 or 0439 628 898
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is the national professional association of veterinary
surgeons in Australia. Founded in 1921, the AVA today represents 6800 members working in all areas
of animal science, health and welfare.