Meloxicam for newborn calves: a 2026 placebo-controlled trial in 151 Holstein-Friesian calves found that a single subcutaneous injection of 0.5 mg/kg meloxicam given immediately after birth raised vitality scores at 24 and 48 hours. The benefit showed up mainly in calves born from difficult calvings. Meloxicam did not correct the acidosis that comes with birth, and heart rate variability proved too weak to predict which calves would struggle. The practical takeaway: target meloxicam to assisted calvings rather than dosing the whole herd. Why newborn calf vitality matters more than it looks The first 48 hours of a calf’s life decide a large share of its future. Calves that stand slowly,…