Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T13:07:05.619Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A first description of the physiological and behavioural responses to disbudding in goat kids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

L Alvarez  and
J Gutiérrez
L Alvarez*
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México 04510
J Gutiérrez
Affiliation:
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad de México, México 04510
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: alorenzo@servidor.unam.mx
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In order to determine the stress response to disbudding, physiological and behavioural response was investigated in disbudded kids and compared with a control group. Disbudded kids (n = 14), were disbudded by thermal cauterisation, and control kids (n = 15) received the same management without being disbudded. Cortisol was measured at -20, -10 and 0 min (pre-treatment), 0, 10, 20 and 30 min as well as 1, 2, 3 and 4 h from disbudding. Frequency and intensity of the behavioural response (kicks, vocalisations) were also recorded during disbudding. Cortisol was higher in disbudded than in control kids during the first 2 h after disbudding. The cortisol area under the curve was 235% higher in disbudded compared to control animals (828 [± 67.4] and 350 [± 65] nmol L−1, respectively). Disbudded kids showed high intensity behaviours in a greater number of animals (100%) and with a greater frequency than controls. These results indicate the presence of acute stress and a potentially painful experience. In conclusion, disbudding in goat kids induces an acute cortisol increase, which lasts for a duration of 2-3 h and a significant behavioural response. This clearly suggests the necessity of using anaesthesia/analgesia to avoid pain and stress.

Keywords

animal welfaredehorningdisbuddinggoat kidpainstress
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 55 - 59
Copyright
© 2010 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Al-Sobayil, FA 2007 A new simple device for dehorning in small ruminants. Small Ruminant Research 67: 232–234CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alvarez, L and Galindo, F 2008 Daily cortisol profile in lactating and non-lactating dairy goats (Capra hircus). Research Journal of Animal Sciences 2: 72–77Google Scholar
Alvarez, L, Nava, RA, Ramírez, A, Ramírez, E and Gutiérrez, J 2009 Physiological and behavioural alterations in disbudded goat kids with and without local anaesthesia. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 117: 190–196CrossRefGoogle Scholar
AVMA 2006 Welfare implications of dehorning and disbudding of cattle. http://www.avma.org/reference/backgrounders/dehorning_cattle_bgnd.aspGoogle Scholar
Bristow, DJ and Holmes, DS 2007 Cortisol levels and anxiety-related behaviors in cattle. Physiology and Behaviour 90: 626–628Google ScholarPubMed
Buttle, H, Mowlem, A and Mews, A 1986 Disbudding and dehorning of goats. In Practice 8: 63–65CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dubeuf, J-P and Boyazoglu, J 2009 An international panorama of goat selection and breeds. Livestock Science 120(3): 225–231CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engelbrecht, Y, Herselman, T, Louw, A and Swart, P 2000 Investigation of the primary cause of hypoadrenocorticism in South African angora goats (Capra aegagrus): a comparison with Boer goats (Capra hircus) and Merino sheep (Ovis aries). Journal of Animal Science 78: 371–379CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eriksson, L and Teräväinen, TL 1989 Circadian rhythm of plasma cortisol and blood glucose in goats. Australian Journal of Applied Sciences 2: 202–203Google Scholar
Graf, B and Senn, M 1999 Behavioural and physiological responses of calves to dehorning by heat cauterization with or without local anaesthesia. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 62: 153–171CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, MJ, Kent, JE and Molony, V 1997 Effects of four analgesic treatments on the behavioural and Cortisol responses of 3-week-old lambs to tail docking. The Veterinary Journal 153: 87–97CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grondahl-Nielsen, C, Simonsen, HB, Damkjer Lund, J and Hesselholt, M 1999 Behavioural, endocrine and cardiac responses in young calves undergoing dehorning without and with use of sedation and analgesia. The Veterinary Journal 158: 14–20CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harjinder, S, Mahant, T, Narul, I, Dhaliwal, R, Suri, R and Gujral, J 1980 Cattle horn injuries. Australian New Zealand Journal of Surgery 50: 620–621Google Scholar
Lee, L 2006 Local anaesthesia and analgesia. http://cvmu.cvhs.okstate.edu/vmed5412/pdf/14LocalAnesthesia2006b.pdfGoogle Scholar
Loretz, C, Wechsler, B, Hauser, R and Rusch, P 2004 A comparison of space requirements of horned and hornless goats at the feed barrier and in the lying area. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 87: 275–283Google Scholar
McMeekan, CM, Stafford, KJ, Mellor, DJ, Bruce, RA, Ward, RN and Gregory, NG 1998 Effects of regional analgesia and/or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic on the acute cortisol response to dehorning in calves. Research in Veterinary Sciences 64: 147–150CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McMeekan, C, Stafford, KJ, Mellor, DJ, Bruce, RA, Ward, RN and Gregory, NG 1999 Effects of a local anaesthetic and a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic on the behavioural responses of calves to dehorning. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 47: 92–96CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohr, E, Langbein, J and Nurnberg, G 2002 Heart rate variability: A noninvasive approach to measure stress in calves and cows. Physiology and Behaviour 75: 251–259CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Molony, V, Kent, JE and Robertson, IS 1995 Assessment of acute and chronic pain after different methods of castration of calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 46: 33–48CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Molony, V and Kent, JE 1997 Assessment of acute pain in farm animals using behavioral and physiological measurements. Journal of Animal Science 75: 266–272CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Molony, V, Kent, JE and McKendrick, IJ 2002 Validation of a method for assessment of an acute pain in lambs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 76: 215–238CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morisse, JP, Cotte, JP and Huonnic, D 1995 Effect of dehorning on behaviour and plasma cortisol responses in young calves. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 43: 239–247CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAS 1999 SAS Statistics Users’ Guide. Cary: NC, USAGoogle Scholar
Smith, M and Sherman, D 1994 Goat Medicine. Lea and Febiger: USAGoogle Scholar
Stafford, KJ and Mellor, DJ 2005 Dehorning and disbudding distress and its alleviation in calves. The Veterinary Journal 169: 337–349CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sylvester, S, Stafford, K, Mellor, D, Bruce, R and Ward, R 2004 Behavioural responses of calves to amputation dehorning with and without local anaesthesia. Australian Veterinary Journal 82: 697–700CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Valdmanis, L, Menzies, P and Millman, S 2007 A survey of dehorning practices and pain management in goats. In: Galindo, F and Alvarez, L (eds) 41st Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology. 30 July-3 August 2007, Mérida, MéxicoGoogle Scholar
von Borell, E 1995 Neuroendocrine integration of stress and significance of stress for the performance of farm animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 44: 219–227CrossRefGoogle Scholar
von Borell, E, Langbein, J, Despres, G, Hansen, S, Leterrier, C, Marchant-Forde, J, Marchant-Forde, R, Minero, M, Mohr, E, Prunier, A, Valance, D and Veissier, I 2007 Heart rate variability as a measure of autonomic regulation of cardiac activity for assessing stress and welfare in farm animals: A review. Physiology and Behaviour 92: 293–316CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Weary, DM, Niel, L, Flower, FC and Fraser, D 2006 Identifying and preventing pain in animals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 100: 64–76CrossRefGoogle Scholar