Plasma cortisol and white blood cell responses in different breeds of bulls: a comparison of two methods of castration.
To determine plasma cortisol and white blood cell response to castration, Angus (n = 12, 21.4 mo of age), Hereford (n = 6, 21.2 mo of age), and Brahman (n = 24, 20.3 mo of age) bulls nearing maturity were either left intact as uncastrated controls (CON), surgically castrated (SUR) after lidocaine, or castrated by latex rubber banding (BAN). Before and through 35 d after castration (castration = d 0), animals were weighed and blood samples were collected for analysis of cortisol and total white blood cell (WBC) count at 2-, 3-, or 7-d intervals. There was a treatment x breed interaction for ADG from d 0 to 7 (P < .05). From d 0 to 14, 0 to 21, 0 to 28, and 0 to 35, ADG tended to be lower for SUR and BAN animals than for CON animals (castrated vs CON, P < or = .13). No significant differences in ADG were observed between SUR and BAN animals during these times. On d 0, from just before treatment to just after treatment, plasma cortisol concentration increased 3.2 ng/mL for SUR and .1 ng/mL for BAN (SEM = +/- .5 ng/mL; SUR vs BAN, P < .03). From d 0 pretreatment to d 2 after treatment, plasma cortisol concentration increased 1.5 ng/mL for castrated (SUR = 2.0 and BAN = 1.1 ng/mL) and decreased 1.6 ng/mL for CON (SEM = +/- .7 ng/mL; P < .04). Plasma cortisol concentration was negatively correlated (P < .001) with BW (r = -.17) and BW change (r = -.19).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Brooksville, FL 34601-4672, USA.
Larsen
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Randel
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Hammond
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Adams
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D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000662:veterinary; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D008012:Lidocaine; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012408:Rubber; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013737:Testis / Q000601:surgery; D015430:Weight Gain
D012408:Rubber; D008012:Lidocaine; D006854:Hydrocortisone