Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
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W<strong>in</strong>ks et al. (1977) found that 36 % of dehorned mature Brahman steers had<br />
suppurat<strong>in</strong>g s<strong>in</strong>uses 24 days after dehorn<strong>in</strong>g. Heal<strong>in</strong>g of the wounds was completed<br />
between 58 and 65 days after dehorn<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Weight ga<strong>in</strong>s dur<strong>in</strong>g 5 months post dehorn<strong>in</strong>g were significantly higher for horned<br />
than for the dehorned steers (W<strong>in</strong>ks et al., 1977). The size of the open<strong>in</strong>g of the<br />
frontal s<strong>in</strong>us was <strong>in</strong>versely related to the live weight ga<strong>in</strong>s dur<strong>in</strong>g the immediate post<br />
operative period, but overall ga<strong>in</strong> was <strong>in</strong>dependent of size of s<strong>in</strong>us open<strong>in</strong>g. However,<br />
steers with suppurat<strong>in</strong>g wounds and small s<strong>in</strong>us open<strong>in</strong>gs ga<strong>in</strong>ed less weight than<br />
steers with small open<strong>in</strong>gs that had healed (W<strong>in</strong>ks et al., 1977).<br />
Moreover, dehorn<strong>in</strong>g of older calves of differ<strong>in</strong>g ages under very extensive conditions<br />
such as <strong>in</strong> Australia can lead to mortalities of about 3 % due to exsangu<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
(Petherick, 2005).<br />
2.5.4.4. Comparison of methods and conclusions on pa<strong>in</strong> caused<br />
by disbudd<strong>in</strong>g/dehorn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Although <strong>in</strong> legal standards disbudd<strong>in</strong>g at different ages is usually treated differently,<br />
e.g. <strong>in</strong> terms of anaesthesia requirements (e.g. Tierschutzgesetz, 2006), suggest<strong>in</strong>g<br />
that pa<strong>in</strong> perception is more pronounced at older ages, there are almost no scientific<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestigations available compar<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>dications of pa<strong>in</strong> at different ages. However,<br />
Taschke (1995), who <strong>in</strong>vestigated the defence reactions to hot iron disbudd<strong>in</strong>g of 73<br />
calves (3 - 8 weeks), could not f<strong>in</strong>d any correlation between the calves’ age and the<br />
<strong>in</strong>tensity of the defence reactions. Likewise, look<strong>in</strong>g at different studies that used<br />
calves between 6 weeks and 6 months of age, plasma cortisol responses to different<br />
disbudd<strong>in</strong>g or dehorn<strong>in</strong>g procedures show very similar patterns (Petrie et al., 1996;<br />
McMeekan et al., 1997; 1998a, b; Sylvester et al., 1998a, b), suggest<strong>in</strong>g that<br />
noteworthy age related differences <strong>in</strong> pa<strong>in</strong> perception do not exist. However, when<br />
compar<strong>in</strong>g disbudd<strong>in</strong>g and dehorn<strong>in</strong>g, effects due to type and size of the imposed<br />
wounds may become important. In terms of animal performance, for <strong>in</strong>stance Laden<br />
et al. (1985) and Grøndahl-Nielsen et al. (1999) did not f<strong>in</strong>d any short- or long-term<br />
effects of hot iron disbudd<strong>in</strong>g on food <strong>in</strong>take and growth rate <strong>in</strong> 4 to 6 and 8 week old<br />
calves. On the contrary, after surgical dehorn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> Brahman crossbred steers aged 4,<br />
9, 19 and 30 months, weight ga<strong>in</strong>s were significantly reduced dur<strong>in</strong>g the first 2 to 6<br />
weeks (Loxton et al., 1982). In mature steers (W<strong>in</strong>ks et al., 1977) and <strong>in</strong> Canadian<br />
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