title: Effects of hot-iron disbudding, using regional anaesthesia with and without carprofen, on cortisol and behaviour of calves.
abstract: The objective of this study was to assess cortisol and behaviour changes in calves hot-iron disbudded after different analgesic protocols. We assessed the response of 27 calves at 1, 3, 6 and 24 h after disbudding with regional anaesthesia (DA), regional anaesthesia plus carprofen (DAC), disbudded only (D) or sham-disbudded (ND). At 1h cortisol was higher in D compared with all other groups. At 3h DA showed higher cortisol than ND but did not differ from baseline. At 15 min and 1h pain-related behaviours were more frequent in the D group than in all other groups. Group D (3 h) and DA (3 and 6 h) showed more ear flicks and head rubs compared with DAC and ND. We concluded that head rubbing, head shaking and ear flicking are useful behaviours for evaluating pain after hot-iron disbudding. Disbudding causes severe pain in calves and only the association of regional anaesthesia with carprofen assures good welfare for 24 h.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Departamento de Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa. Alto da Ajuda, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal. stilwell@fmv.utl.pt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stilwell
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Broom
mesh_terms: D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002227:Carbazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D006733:Horns / Q000601:surgery*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000662:veterinary; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D002227:Carbazoles; C007005:carprofen; D006854:Hydrocortisone