Breakthrough in Livestock Pain Relief? K-State Lands FDA Grant to Lead the Charge
Kansas State University is stepping up in a major way to tackle one of the livestock industry’s biggest challenges: pain management in food animals. The university’s College of Veterinary Medicine has been selected by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine as one of four Animal and Veterinary Innovation Centers, securing federal funding to develop better pain relief solutions for cattle, pigs, and goats.
A First-of-Its-Kind Approach to Livestock Pain Management
Unlike traditional studies that focus on generalized veterinary treatments, K-State’s center will specialize in evaluating the effectiveness of analgesics (pain relievers) in livestock, paving the way for new drug approvals that could improve the welfare of millions of food animals.
Leading the initiative are Dr. Mike Apley, a professor of clinical pharmacology, and Dr. Eduarda Bortoluzzi, an assistant professor of animal welfare. They are joined by Dr. Hans Coetzee, a recognized expert in animal welfare and pain relief studies, along with a team of specialists from K-State and North Carolina State University.
“This grant was a true team effort,” said Apley. “Over the next five years, we will conduct nine studies at Kansas State and two at North Carolina State, all aimed at developing reliable models to assess pain relief treatments for livestock. This research is crucial for advancing new drug approvals that can improve animal well-being.”
FDA Backs Innovation in Veterinary Science
The FDA’s selection process for these innovation centers was highly competitive, focusing on critical issues in animal, human, and environmental health. The funding for K-State’s center—renewable for up to four years—demonstrates the growing importance of livestock welfare in regulatory science.
By pioneering more effective pain management strategies, K-State is not only helping livestock but also ensuring farmers and veterinarians have better tools to support animal health.
Stay tuned—this research could reshape how pain relief is managed in the livestock industry, improving both animal welfare and food production standards.
