CATTLE, HORSES
Metacam 40 mg/mL Solution for Injection contains Meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) compound of the oxicam group which acts by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory, antiendotoxic, anti-exudative, analgesic and antipyretic effects.
Benefits
- Convenient low volume dose rate of 1.25 mL / 100 kg bodyweight for cattle.
- Convenient low volume dose rate of 1.5 mL / 100 kg bodyweight for horses.
- Treats twice as many cattle as a 100 mL bottle of METACAM® 20.
- Treatment with METACAM® 40 improves wellbeing and recovery when used to manage pain and inflammation.
- A fast onset with a long duration of activity allows Metacam® to provide effective treatment, proven by clinical trials.1
- Studies have shown that the addition of METACAM® to antibiotic therapy improved mastitis treatment outcomes (SCC, cure rate, reproductive and on farm longevity outcomes)2,3.
- Data from a 2024 study demonstrated that providing anti-inflammatory effects with METACAM added to traditional treatments for hoof lameness (e.g. trimming and application of blocks), resulted in a 15% improvement in six week in calf rate and a 15% increase in final pregnancy rate.4
Active Constituents
40 mg/mL MELOXICAM
Downloads
New Zealand and overseas studies have shown that mastitis is associated with lower reproductive rates, and that the use of METACAM concurrently with antibiotics for the treatment of mastitis has improved 1st service conception rates, improved pregnancy rates around the 6 week in calf period, lowered removal for failing to conceive, and lowered culling / loss rates. The following calculator uses data from MINDA* treatment records to extrapolate the European Research findings for New Zealand conditions. Conservative estimates have been used to extrapolate the expected benefits of concurrent treatment with METACAM (see assumptions below)1,2,3.
* MINDA® is a registered trademark of LIC.
Cattle
- For use in acute mastitis, in combination with appropriate antibiotic therapy in lactating cows.
- For the alleviation of pain and inflammation associated with surgery.
- For use in acute respiratory infection with appropriate antibiotic therapy to reduce clinical signs in cattle.
- For use in diarrhoea in combination with oral-rehydration therapy to reduce clinical signs in calves and young cattle.
- For use to assist in the control of pain following the dehorning of cattle, particularly that following heat cautery dehorning of young cattle.
Horses
- For single dose rapid initiation of therapy of musculoskeletal disorders and relief of pain associated with colic.
1st Service Conception Rate:
In a European study METACAM increased conception rates in mastitis cows from 21% to 31%2. Average European CR's are 40%, so the addition of METACAM reduced the CR losses by 52.6%.
In NZ with a Three-Week CR gap of 2.5% (MINDA data)1, METACAM should conservatively increase CR by 1.32% (52.6% x 2.5% = 1.32%).
Lower Removal for Failing to Conceive (12WICR equivalent):
- A New Zealand Study showed cows treated with METACAM had 37% of the odds of being removed for failing to conceive3. In the study this was a 5% absolute lower rate.
- Using the MINDA figures of a 5.9% lower 12WICR1, (using the odds above) this would equate to a 3.7% more cows in calf in the treatment group.
Improved 6WICR (NZ equivalent of pregnant after 120 days):
- The European study data showed a 9% increase in 120d pregnancy rates in METACAM treated group compared to the control2.
- To extrapolate this figure to NZ we can look at the effect of the conception rate difference (+1.32%) to conservatively estimate the 6WICR difference given the following farm-specific data (as entered to the calculator): 3WSR - default value of 79.3% (NZ 2022 average figure); Conception Rate - default values of 50.9% (NZ 2022 average figure) NB: An assumed cycle (submission) rate of non-pregnant animals in weeks 3-6 will be made at 90%.
Lower Culling / Loss Rate:
- The 11.8% reduction in absolute culling / loss was from a NZ study3, and included both empty cows and culls. If we remove the extra losses from failing to conceive (5%), then there was a 6.8% lower culling / loss rate in the METACAM treated cows (over and above reproductive losses).
Calculator References:
- Fankhauser S, Luckman R. (2024). Early season mastitis and reproductive outcomes – a metadata approach. NZVA Conference proceedings.
- McDougall, S., et al. (2016). Addition of meloxicam to the treatment of clinical mastitis improves subsequent reproductive performance. J. Dairy Sci., 99: 2026-2042.
- McDougall, S., et al. (2009). Effect of treatment with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory meloxicam on milk production, somatic cell count, probability or re-treatment, and culling of dairy cows with mild clinical mastitis. J. Dairy Sci., 92: 4421-4431.
- Mason WA, et al. The effect of meloxicam at the time of treatment of hoof-horn lameness in pasture-grazing dairy cattle on time to lameness soundness, pregnancy risk, and time to conception: A randomized control trial. J Dairy Sci. 2025;108(4):3991-4004.
Active Constituents
Active Constituent:
40 mg/mL MELOXICAM.
Dosage Cattle: Single use only by SC and IV injection at 1.25 mL/100 kg.
Dosage Horses: Single use only by IV injection at 1.5 mL/100 kg.
Pack sizes:
Available in 100 mL bottle.
Withholding Periods*
MILK:
- Cattle: 84 hours.
MEAT:
- Cattle: 10 days.
- Horses: 28 days.
Storage
- Store below 25°C.
