title: Effect of ketoprofen, lidocaine local anesthesia, and combined xylazine and lidocaine caudal epidural anesthesia during castration of beef cattle on stress responses, immunity, growth, and behavior.
abstract: To determine the effects of burdizzo castration alone or in combination with ketoprofen (K), local anesthesia (LA), or caudal epidural anesthesia (EPI) on plasma cortisol, acute-phase proteins, interferon-gamma production, growth, and behavior of beef cattle, 50 Holstein x Friesian bulls (13 mo old, 307 +/- 5.3 kg) were assigned to (n = 10/treatment): 1) control (handled; C); 2) burdizzo castration (B); 3) B following K (3 mg/ kg of BW i.v.; BK); 4) B following LA (8 mL into each testis and 3 mL s.c. along the line where the jaws of the burdizzo were applied with 2% lidocaine HCl; BLA); and 5) B following EPI (0.05 mg/kg of BW of xylazine HCl and 0.4 mg/kg of BW of lidocaine HCl as caudal epidural; BEPI). The area under the cortisol curve against time was lower (P < 0.05) in BK than in B, BLA, or BEPI animals. On d 1 after treatment, plasma haptoglobin concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI than in BK animals. On d 3, haptoglobin and plasma fibrinogen concentrations were higher (P < 0.05) in all castration groups than in C. On d 7, haptoglobin and fibrinogen concentrations remained higher (P < 0.05) in BLA than in B and C animals. On d 1, concanavalin A-induced interferon-gamma production was lower (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI than in C, but there was no difference between BK and C animals. From d -1 to 35, ADG was lower (P < 0.05) in B, BLA, and BEPI animals, but not in BK compared with C animals. Overall, there was a higher (P < 0.05) incidence of combined abnormal postures in B than in C, BK and BEPI animals. Although the use of K and EPI decreased (P < 0.05) these postures compared with B alone or B with LA, there was no difference between the K and EPI treatment. In conclusion, burdizzo castration increased plasma cortisol and acute-phase proteins, and suppressed immune function and growth rates. Local anesthesia prolonged the increase in acute-phase proteins. Ketoprofen was more effective than LA or EPI in decreasing cortisol and partially reversed the reduction in ADG following castration. The use of K or EPI was more effective than LA in decreasing pain-associated behavioral responses observed during the first 6 h after treatment. Systemic analgesia with ketoprofen, a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug, was more effective in reducing inflammatory responses associated with castration than LA or EPI.
authors.affiliation: Teagasc, Grange Research Centre, Dunsany, Co. Meath, Ireland.
authors.forename: S T L
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ting
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Earley
authors.forename: J M L
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Crowe
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D000763:Anesthesia, Caudal / Q000662:veterinary; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000662:veterinary; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary; D014991:Xylazine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D014991:Xylazine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007660:Ketoprofen; D008012:Lidocaine; D006854:Hydrocortisone