title: Acute cortisol responses of lambs to ring castration and docking after the injection of lignocaine into the scrotal neck or testes at the time of ring application.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test whether injecting lignocaine into the scrotal neck 5 to 10 s before or into both testes immediately after ring castration and docking wound significantly reduce the plasma cortisol response to castration and docking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A physiological study with controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lambs were given one of six treatments: control handling, injection of lignocaine into scrotal neck, injection of lignocaine into both testes, ring castration and docking, ring castration and docking after lignocaine was injected into the scrotal neck, and ring castration and docking before lignocaine was injected into both testes. Blood samples were taken before and regularly after treatment and analysed for plasma cortisol concentrations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma cortisol concentrations of lambs castrated and docked after lignocaine had been injected into the scrotal neck were significantly lower between 20 and 60 min after treatment than in lambs castrated and docked without local anaesthesia. Injecting lignocaine into the testes after ring application did not significantly reduce the cortisol response to ring castration and docking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lignocaine injected into the scrotal neck 5 to 10 s before ring castration will reduce the cortisol response and by inference the pain associated with ring castration.
authors.affiliation: Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sutherland
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mellor
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Todd
mesh_terms: D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007267:Injections / Q000662:veterinary; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D012611:Scrotum; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013623:Tail / Q000601:surgery*; D013737:Testis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine; D006854:Hydrocortisone