A comparison of sedative effects of xylazine alone or combined with levomethadone or ketamine in calves prior to disbudding

ObjectiveTo compare the sedative effects of intramuscular xylazine alone or combined with levomethadone or ketamine in calves before cautery disbudding.Study designRandomized, blinded, clinical trial.AnimalsA total of 28 dairy calves, aged 21 ± 5 days and weighing 61.0 ± 9.3 kg (mean ± standard deviation).MethodsCalves were randomly allocated to three groups: xylazine (0.1 mg kg^–1) and levomethadone (0.05 mg kg^–1; group XL), xylazine (0.1 mg kg^–1) and ketamine (1 mg kg^–1; group XK) and xylazine alone (0.2 mg kg^–1; group X). Local anaesthesia (procaine hydrochloride) and meloxicam were administered subcutaneously 15 minutes after sedation and 15 minutes before disbudding. The calves’ responses to the administration of local anaesthesia and disbudding were recorded. Sedation was assessed at baseline and at intervals up to 240 minutes postsedation. Times of recumbency, first head lift and first standing were recorded. Drug plasma concentrations were measured.ResultsData were obtained from 27 animals. All protocols resulted in sedation sufficient to administer local anaesthesia and to perform disbudding. Sedation scores significantly correlated with drug plasma concentrations (p ≤ 0.002). Times to recumbency did not differ among protocols (2.8 ± 0.3, 3.1 ± 1.1 and 2.1 ± 0.8 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively), whereas interval from drug(s) administration until first head lift was significantly shorter in group XK than X (47.3 ± 14.1, 34.4 ± 5.3 and 62.6 ± 31.9 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively). The area under the time-sedation curve was significantly greater in group X than XK or XL (754 ± 215, 665 ± 118 and 1005 ± 258 minutes for groups XL, XK and X, respectively).Conclusions and clinical relevanceLevomethadone or ketamine with a low dose of xylazine produced short but sufficient sedation for local anaesthesia and disbudding with minimum resistance.