title: Comparative effects of castration and dehorning in series or concurrent castration and dehorning procedures on stress responses and production in Holstein calves.
abstract: The study objective was to compare serum cortisol as an acute stress measure, chute exit velocity as a behavioral measure, and ADG as an indicator of performance and well-being after castration, dehorning, or concurrent castration/dehorning of calves when performed in parallel and in series. Intact male Holstein calves, 3 to 4 mo, underwent sham handling before 2 procedures performed in series separated by 2 to 3 wk. In Period 1, calves were either dehorned by amputation, surgically castrated, concurrently castrated/dehorned, or served as nonsurgical controls (n = 10/treatment). In Period 2, calves that had been dehorned, castrated, or castrated/dehorned were then castrated, dehorned, or served as nonsurgical controls, respectively. Indicators of distress were measured after all procedures; ADG was assessed for 7 d after each procedure and over the 2 to 3 wk interim. Period 1 cortisol concentrations in dehorned calves were less than in castrated and castrated/dehorned calves at 120 min and from 50 to 240 min, respectively (P < 0.02). There was marginal evidence that cortisol concentrations were greater in castrated/dehorned than castrated calves at 60 min (P = 0.06). Period 2 cortisol concentrations were less in dehorned than castrated calves at 120 min (P = 0.005) but were greater from 360 to 480 min (P < 0.002). The Period 2 cortisol profile of control calves did not differ from the baseline obtained during sham handling, despite the intervening castration/dehorning in Period 1, suggesting that memory did not affect cortisol. The cortisol profile of castrated calves did not differ between periods except at 720 min, when Period 1 concentrations were greater than Period 2 (P = 0.02). Cortisol concentrations of calves dehorned in Period 2 were greater than those dehorned in Period 1 at 20 and 240 to 480 min (P < 0.05). In both periods, castrated calves exited the chute slower than dehorned calves (P < 0.05). The ADG did not differ between surgically treated calves in Period 1; in the interim, the ADG of castrated calves was greater than that of castrated/dehorned calves (difference ± SED, 1.4 ± 0.6 kg/d; P = 0.03), and in Period 2, the ADG of dehorned calves was less than castrated calves (1.8 ± 0.6 kg/d; P = 0.005). Our study supports both the common practice of concurrent castration/dehorning and the sequence of dehorning and castration. Delayed dehorning (vs. delayed castration) appeared to be more acutely stressful and more detrimental to ADG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-5601, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Mosher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Coetzee
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D006733:Horns / Q000601:surgery*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D007615:Kansas; D008124:Locomotion; D008163:Luminescent Measurements / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone