Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel
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2.5.5. Stress and pa<strong>in</strong> alleviation dur<strong>in</strong>g disbudd<strong>in</strong>g or dehorn<strong>in</strong>g<br />
2.5.5.1. Sedation<br />
In order to ease the disbudd<strong>in</strong>g/dehorn<strong>in</strong>g procedure and decrease handl<strong>in</strong>g stress for<br />
the animals and handlers sometimes sedatives are adm<strong>in</strong>istered. However, as Löscher<br />
(2006) described xylaz<strong>in</strong> as pa<strong>in</strong> alleviat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>cattle</strong>, it is a rather frequent<br />
misconception <strong>in</strong> practice that deep sedation provides anaesthesia as well. Grøndahl-<br />
Nielsen et al. (1999) showed that sedation with xylaz<strong>in</strong>e comb<strong>in</strong>ed with the analgesic<br />
butorphanol, used <strong>in</strong> different groups of calves before sham disbudd<strong>in</strong>g or hot iron<br />
disbudd<strong>in</strong>g, reduced physical activity like leg movements dur<strong>in</strong>g hot iron disbudd<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and the cortisol response <strong>in</strong> the first 30 m<strong>in</strong>utes after the procedure, but it only slightly<br />
reduced head jerks compared to non-sedated animals. Stilwell et al. (2010) also found<br />
more struggl<strong>in</strong>g, more ear-flicks at 10, 25 and 40 m<strong>in</strong>utes and more head-shakes at 40<br />
m<strong>in</strong>utes after hot iron disbudd<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> xylaz<strong>in</strong>e-alone treated calves compared with<br />
calves treated with a comb<strong>in</strong>ation of xylaz<strong>in</strong> and lidoca<strong>in</strong>e. All sedated groups<br />
showed similar high plasma cortisol concentrations, even the sham disbudded group,<br />
which was also treated with xylaz<strong>in</strong>.<br />
However, sedation made the adm<strong>in</strong>istration of local anaesthetic easier and thus<br />
elim<strong>in</strong>ated the need for physical restra<strong>in</strong>t dur<strong>in</strong>g the adm<strong>in</strong>istration of the local<br />
anaesthetic and dur<strong>in</strong>g dehorn<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
2.5.5.2. Local anaesthesia<br />
The cornual nerve, a branch of the Trigem<strong>in</strong>al nerve (cranial nerve V), provides<br />
sensation to the sk<strong>in</strong> of the horn/bud region. Injection of a local anaesthetic around the<br />
cornual nerve, as it traverses the frontal crest, desensitizes this region (Frandson et al.,<br />
2003). Partly different results regard<strong>in</strong>g local anaesthesia effects on physiological and<br />
behavioural pa<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>dications towards disbudd<strong>in</strong>g/dehorn<strong>in</strong>g have been obta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong><br />
different experimental <strong>in</strong>vestigations (Morisse et al., 1995; Petrie et al., 1996; Mc<br />
Meekan et al. 1998a, b; Sylvester et al., 1998b; Graf and Senn, 1999; Grøndahl-<br />
Nielsen et al., 1999; Sutherland et al., 2002b; Sylvester et al., 2004; Vickers et al.,<br />
2005; Stilwell et al., 2009). They may partly be due to different disbudd<strong>in</strong>g methods<br />
applied <strong>in</strong> calves of different ages (caustics: 10 to 35 days, hot iron: 10 days to 8<br />
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