Aoife Byrne

Project Title: Pain management to improve the welfare of dairy cows: investigating non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use in both lame and periparturient cows.

Overview: Aoife is a 2018 UCD veterinary medicine graduate. Following 5 years in clinical practice, Aoife completed an MSc in Animal Behaviour and Welfare in Queen’s University Belfast, focusing her research on emotional contagion and stress in companion dogs. Aoife has a keen interest in the impact of pain and stress on animal behaviour and welfare, as well the use of pain management to improve animal welfare. Her PhD focuses on dairy cow pain management, behaviour, and welfare.

Pain is a negative affective state which has the potential to compromise animal health and welfare, and is a welfare issue of significant importance and major public concern. Both parturition and lameness can be extremely painful experiences for dairy cows, and therefore methods to mitigate pain associated with these experiences should be investigated. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to reduce pain in dairy cows, and improve lameness outcomes. However, at present, few Irish farmers use NSAIDs as part of the management of lameness, or following parturition. The aim of this PhD is to investigate the effects of using NSAIDs in both lame and periparturient cows in a pasture-based system on dairy cow health, welfare, production, reproductive performance, and lameness outcomes.

Programme Area: Animal & Bioscience Department

Supervisors: Muireann Conneely, Christopher Hudson and Nicola Gladden

Location: Moorepark

Funding Source: Teagasc