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Acute cortisol responses of calves to scoop dehorning using local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wound |
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| Authors: | SP SYLVESTER DJ MELLOR KJ STAFFORD RA BRUCE RN WARD |
| Institution: | Department of Physiology and Anatomy, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand;Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand |
| Abstract: | Objective To measure plasma cortisol responses in calves dehorned using a scoop after administration of local anaesthesia and/or cautery of the wounds. Design A physiological study with controls. Procedure There were six treatments: control handling with and without local anaesthesia, dehorning, dehorning after local anaesthesia, dehorning followed by wound cautery, and dehorning after local anaesthesia followed by wound cautery. Blood samples were taken before and after dehorning. Results Dehorning caused an increase in plasma cortisol concentrations, which decreased a little to plateau values and then declined to pretreatment values 3 to 4 h after dehorning. The peak was smaller after local anaesthesia was administered but when its effects wore off, cortisol concentrations increased and thereafter were similar to those in the dehorned animals. The combination of local anaesthesia and cautery resulted in a plasma cortisol response similar to those in control calves with or without local anaesthesia. Conclusions If plasma cortisol concentrations reflect the distress being experienced by the calves, then local anaesthesia reduces the acute distress for about 3 h after dehorning but not during the subsequent 3 to 4 h. Combining local anaesthetic and cautery prevented the significant increase in plasma cortisol following dehorning and may eliminate the acute distress caused by scoop dehorning. |
| Keywords: | Calf dehorning scoop cortisol distress local anaesthetic cautery |