Effects of castration on behaviour and plasma cortisol concentrations in young lambs, kids and calves.

Behavioural and cortisol responses to the husbandry practice of castration with tight rubber rings were investigated in lambs and kids one day after birth and in hand reared calves aged one to seven days. There were three treatments: control handling and blood sampling, castration and, in lambs and kids only, intravenous adrenocorticotrophin injection (ACTH). The integrated cortisol responses (area under the cortisol curve) in lambs and kids were least in control, intermediate in castrated and greatest in ACTH animals. No cortisol responses were detected in control or castrated calves. The incidences of behaviour used to assess the intensity of distress apparently experienced in the different species corresponded generally with the magnitudes of the cortisol responses. Behavioural and cortisol responses together suggested that the distress caused by castration was greatest in lambs, intermediate in kids and least but not necessarily absent in hand reared calves.     

Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on long-term pain in calves castrated by use of an external clamping technique following epidural anesthesia

OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy of flunixin meglumine versus carprofen in controlling pain under field conditions following castration by use of an external clamping technique in calves that received epidural anesthesia. ANIMALS: 40 male 5- to 6-month-old calves. PROCEDURES: Calves were allocated to 4 groups: castrated only (control calves; n=8); castrated 5 minutes after epidural injection of 2% lidocaine (epidural-alone treated calves; 8), castrated after epidural anesthesia and s.c. administration of flunixin meglumine (epidural-flunixin treated calves; 12), and castrated after epidural anesthesia and s.c. administration of carprofen (epidural-carprofen-treated calves; 11 [1 calf not included]). Plasma cortisol concentration was measured before and 6, 24, and 48 hours after castration. Time of arrival at the feed trough at 24 and 48 hours was observed. Calves were observed at 24 and 48 hours for 4 pain-related behaviors. RESULTS: At 6 hours, control calves had significantly higher plasma cortisol concentrations, compared with baseline values and those of epidural-flunixin- and epidural-carprofen-treated calves. At 24 hours, epidural-carprofen-treated calves had significantly lower plasma cortisol concentrations, compared with control calves. At 48 hours, epidural-carprofen-treated calves had plasma cortisol concentrations that were similar to baseline values and significantly lower than epidural-flunixin- and epidural-alone-treated calves. At 24 and 48 hours, epidural-carprofen-treated calves were first to arrive at the feed trough and had fewer pain-related behaviors. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: s.c. administration of carprofen in combination with epidural injection of lidocaine may improve the welfare of calves castrated by use of an external clamping technique for up to 48 hours.     

Effect of castration on plasma luteinizing hormone concentrations in prepubertal boars

Mean concentrations and the occurrence of pulsatile release of luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined in 14-wk-old crossbred boars (50.5 +/- 1.5 kg) after bilateral or unilateral castration at 10 wk of age. Blood was collected at 10-min intervals for 5 h. Then gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH; 40 micrograms) was given and sampling was continued at 5-min intervals for 1 h. Compared with intact boars, bilateral castration increased (P less than .001) mean LH (982 +/- 56 vs 389 +/- 56 pg/ml), pulsatile releases of LH (7.0 +/- .6 vs 2.0 +/- .6 pulses/5 h) and LH pulse amplitude (617 +/- 29 vs 360 +/- 58 pg/ml). Unilaterally castrated boars did not differ from intact boars in any of the above measures of LH secretion. Testis weight increased more between 10 and 14 wk of age in the unilateral castrates than in the intact boars (432 +/- 42 vs 245 +/- 34%; P less than .05). Thus, compensatory hypertrophy occurred within 4 wk of castration. Plasma testosterone was lower for bilateral castrates than for intact animals (.1 +/- .8 vs 3.6 +/- .9 ng/ml; P less than .05) while unilateral castrates (3.8 +/- 1.0 ng/ml) and intact boars did not differ. Plasma estradiol concentrations in bilateral and unilateral castrates were not different from levels found in intact boars (1.8 +/- 1.8, 8.8 +/- 2.1 and 6.0 +/- 1.8 pg/ml, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Acute cortisol responses and wound healing in lambs after ring castration plus docking with or without application of a castration clamp to the scrotum

OBJECTIVE: To test whether the cortisol response to ring castration plus docking is reduced by additional application of a castration clamp across the full width of the scrotum distal to the ring. DESIGN: A physiological study with controls. PROCEDURE: Lambs, 3 to 6 weeks of age, were castrated using a ring or ring plus castration clamp applied for 6 or 10 s and docked using a ring. Blood samples were taken before and regularly for about 4 h after treatment and analysed for plasma cortisol concentrations. The healing of the scrotal wounds was monitored for 6 weeks after castration. RESULTS: The plasma cortisol concentrations were lower only at 60 min after treatment in lambs castrated with a clamp placed on the scrotum for 10 s after ring castration and docking than in lambs castrated and docked by ring alone. Scrotal wounds healed more quickly after ring plus clamp than after ring only castration. CONCLUSIONS: The castration clamp had at most a marginal effect on the cortisol response to ring castration and docking of 3- to 6-week-old lambs, but it did seem to improve the rate of healing.     

Neopterin and biopterin as biomarkers of immune system activation associated with castration in piglets

Recent reports have shown that stressful situations may affect the production of unconjugated pterins (neopterin and biopterin). The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of castration on neopterin and biopterin plasma concentrations in piglets, using 2 groups of 12 piglets allocated to castrated and uncastrated (control) groups. Pterin concentrations were determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Blood samples were also analzyed for leukocyte profiles and plasma cortisol concentrations. A time × treatment interaction (P < 0.05) was detected for neopterin concentrations, such that neopterin was greater (P < 0.01) at 1 h after surgery in castrated piglets compared with precastration concentrations, and neopterin was greater (P = 0.05) in castrated than in control piglets at 1 h. Castration had no effect on biopterin concentration (P > 0.1). Time effects (P < 0.05) for neutrophil and lymphocyte concentrations and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios were found. A time × treatment interaction (P < 0.01) was detected for plasma cortisol concentrations, such that cortisol was greater (P < 0.01) at 1 and 24 h after surgery in castrated piglets compared with precastration concentrations and was greater (P < 0.01) in castrated than in control piglets at 1 and 24 h. This study showed that castration activated the immune system of piglets as demonstrated by an increase in plasma neopterin concentrations.     

Effect of sub-anesthetic xylazine and ketamine ('ketamine stun') administered to calves immediately prior to castration

ObjectiveTo describe the pharmacokinetics, cortisol response and behavioral changes associated with administration of sub-anesthetic xylazine and ketamine prior to castration.Study designProspective, randomized experiment.AnimalsTwenty-two male beef calves (260-310 kg).MethodsCalves were randomly assigned to receive the following treatment immediately prior to surgical or simulated castration; 1) uncastrated, placebo-treated control (CONT) (n = 4), 2) Castrated, placebo treated control (CAST) (n = 6), 3) castrated with intravenous xylazine (X) (0.05 mg kg^?1) (n = 6), and 4) castrated with IV xylazine (X) (0.05 mg kg^?1) combined with ketamine (K) (0.1 mg kg^?1) (n = 6). Blood samples collected over 10 hours post-castration were analyzed by LC-MS-MS for drug concentrations and chemiluminescent immunoassay for cortisol determination.ResultsDrug concentrations during the first 60 minutes post-castration fit a one-compartment open model with first-order elimination. The harmonic mean elimination half-lives (± pseudo SD) for X, X with K and K were 12.9 ± 1.2, 11.2 ± 3.1 and 10.6 ± 2.8 minutes, respectively. The proportion of the total area under the effect curve (AUEC) for cortisol during this period was significantly lower in the X group (13 ± 3%; p = 0.006) and the X+K group (14 ± 2%; p = 0.016) compared with the CAST calves (21 ± 2%). However, after 300 minutes the AUEC in the X group was higher than CAST. Significantly more calves demonstrated attitude that was unchanged from pre-manipulation behavior in the CONT (p = 0.021) and X+K treated calves (p = 0.0051) compared with the CAST calves.ConclusionsBehavioral changes and lower serum cortisol concentrations during the first 60 minutes post-castration were associated with quantifiable xylazine and ketamine concentrations.Clinical relevanceLow doses of xylazine and ketamine administered immediately prior to castration may offer a safe, efficacious and cost-effective systemically administered alternative or adjunct to local anesthesia.     

Effect of local anaesthesia on short- and long-term pain induced by two bloodless castration methods in calves

Behavioural and cortisol responses of calves were used as indicators of pain to assess short- and long-term effects of bloodless castration methods with and without local anaesthesia. Seventy calves, aged 21-28 days, were control handled (20) or castrated using the Burdizzo (25) or rubber ring technique (25). Either 10 mL lidocaine or NaCl were distributed in both spermatic cords and the scrotal neck. The plasma cortisol response was recorded for 72 h, and behavioural and clinical traits monitored over a three month period. Local anaesthesia reduced the level of indicators of acute pain after both the Burdizzo and rubber ring techniques. It did not, however, result in a totally painless castration. As there was evidence of chronic pain lasting for several weeks after rubber ring castration, the Burdizzo method is judged to be preferable to the rubber ring technique.     

Effects of ketoprofen alone or in combination with local anesthesia during the castration of bull calves on plasma cortisol,immunological, and inflammatory responses

To determine the effects of the anti-inflammatory ketoprofen, alone or with local anesthesia (LA) during castration on cortisol, immune, and acute phase responses, 40 Friesian calves (215 +/- 3.5 kg) were assigned as follows: 1) control, 2) surgical castration (SURG), 3) SURG following ketoprofen (3 mg/kg BW i.v.; SURG + K), 4) SURG following LA (9 mL of 2% lidocaine hydrochloride to each testis; SURG + LA), or 5) SURG following LA and K (SURG + LA + K). Total cortisol response was greater (P < 0.05) in SURG, SURG + LA, and SURG + K + LA calves than in control calves and was not different between control and SURG + K calves. The interval to peak cortisol was longer (P < 0.05) for SURG + K + LA calves than for either SURG or SURG + K calves. On d 3, KLH-induced interferon-gamma production was lower (P < 0.05) in SURG calves than in control calves, whereas concanavalin A-induced interferon-gamma production was lower (P < 0.05) in all castration groups than in control. On d 1 after surgery, fibrinogen was higher (P < 0.05) in SURG and SURG + LA calves than in control calves, whereas SURG + LA + K calves had lower (P < 0.05) fibrinogen than did SURG calves. Haptoglobin was higher (P < 0.05) in SURG calves on d 1, 3, and 7 than in control calves. On d 1 after surgery, SURG + K and SURG + LA + K calves had lower (P < 0.05) haptoglobin concentrations than SURG calves, whereas SURG + K calves had lower (P < 0.05) levels than SURG calves on d 3. In conclusion, surgical castration induced a significant elevation in cortisol secretion; the rise in cortisol was reduced to control levels by the administration of ketoprofen but not local anaesthetic. Thus, systemic analgesia using ketoprofen is more effective than local anesthesia during castration to alleviate the associated stress response.     

Influence of castration and estrogen replacement on sexual behavior of female-oriented, male-oriented, and asexual rams

An experiment was conducted to determine whether exogenous estradiol-17beta (E2) could restore sexual behavior in castrated rams. The protocol consisted of three sequential 6-wk periods during which rams were studied while 1) intact, 2) bilaterally castrated, or 3) implanted s.c. with two 7.6-cm silastic implants each containing 309+/-16 mg of E2. Rams (classified as female-oriented [FOR, n = 7], male-oriented [MOR, n = 7], or asexual [n = 7]) were subjected to 30-min sexual behavior tests every 2 wk during the ensuing 18 wk. Rams were observed for mounts and ejaculations using two ovariectomized, estrous ewes and two intact males secured in stanchions. Behavioral data were analyzed using the signed rank test, but asexual rams showed no sexual behavior and therefore were not evaluated statistically. Jugular blood was collected prior to castration and at the end of the 18-wk period, and testicular venous (n = 21) and arterial (n = 8) bloods were collected immediately prior to castration. Radioimmunoassay was used to quantify systemic levels of estrone (E1), E2, and testosterone (T) and testicular serum concentrations of oxytocin (OT). Mounting behavior of MOR and FOR declined after castration (P < .05 and P < .10, respectively). Castration reduced the number of ejaculations by FOR (P < .05), but not by MOR (P > .10). Mounting behavior of castrated MOR and FOR was not affected by E2 treatment relative to that observed if castrated only (P > .10). Treatment of asexual rams with E2 did not stimulate sexual behavior in these rams. There were no marked differences (P > .10) among ram groups with regard to serum concentrations of E1, E2, or T prior to castration (overall mean +/- SE, 12.8+/-.7, 7.6+/-.5, and 2,670+/-780 pg/mL, respectively) or any difference (P > .10) in systemic concentration of E1 or E2 among ram groups after rams were implanted with E2 (overall mean +/- SE, 9.7+/-.7 and 9.0 +/-.7 pg/mL, respectively). Serum concentrations of E2 after implantation of the steroid did not differ from those present while rams were intact (P > .10). Testicular venous and arterial serum concentrations of OT were low and did not differ within or between rams. These results suggest that restoration of E2 concentrations to physiological levels in castrated adult rams (regardless of sexual orientation) cannot stimulate or reestablish sexual behaviors to levels observed prior to castration.     

Effect of intravenous sodium salicylate administration prior to castration on plasma cortisol and electroencephalography parameters in calves

Nociception is an unavoidable consequence of many routine management procedures such as castration in cattle. This study investigated electroencephalography (EEG) parameters and cortisol levels in calves receiving intravenous sodium salicylate in response to a castration model. Twelve Holstein calves were randomly assigned to the following groups: (i) castrated, untreated controls, (ii) 50 mg/kg sodium salicylate IV precastration, were blood sampled at 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 240, 360, and 480 min postcastration. The EEG recording included baseline, castration, immediate recovery (0-5 min after castration), middle recovery (5-10 min after castration), and late recovery (10-20 min after castration). Samples were analyzed by competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay and fluorescence polarization immunoassay for cortisol and salicylate, respectively. EEG visual inspection and spectral analysis were performed. Statistical analyses included anova repeated measures and correlations between response variable. No treatment effect was noted between the two groups for cortisol and EEG measurements, namely an attenuation of acute cortisol response and EEG desynchronization in sodium salicylate group. Time effects were noted for EEG measurements, cortisol and salicylates levels. Significant correlations between cortisol and EEG parameters were noted. These findings have implications for designing effective analgesic regimens, and they suggest that EEG can be useful to monitor pain attributable to castration.     

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

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. DESIGN: A physiological study with controls. PROCEDURE: 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.     

A comparison of catecholamine and cortisol responses of young lambs and calves to painful husbandry procedures

AIM: To compare the changes in plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, adrenaline and cortisol in lambs after ring castration plus tailing and in calves after dehorning with or without prior local anaesthesia. METHODS: Male lambs were castrated and tailed with rings and calves were dehorned by amputation using a scoop with or without prior local anaesthesia. Blood samples were taken before and after treatment and plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, adrenaline and cortisol were determined. RESULTS: Castration plus tailing of lambs resulted in a rapid increase in noradrenaline concentrations, a lack of an adrenaline response and a marked increase in cortisol concentration. There were similar changes in catecholamine concentrations in calves that were dehorned both with and without local anaesthetic, with adrenaline being elevated within 5 min of treatment and noradrenaline exhibiting a more protracted response. Dehorning caused a marked cortisol increase which was reduced to control concentrations by local anaesthesia for as long as the associated nerve blockade lasted. CONCLUSIONS: The very short-lived adrenaline responses in calves were attributed to dehorning-induced nociceptor input leading to sympathetic stimulation of the adrenal medulla. The longer lasting noradrenaline responses in lambs and calves were thought be due to 'wash-out' of noradrenaline from damaged tissue associated with rings and amputation wounds, respectively.     

Salivary cortisol as a stress parameter in piglets]

The relationship between salivary and plasma levels of total and free cortisol was monitored in 97 male piglets, aged two to four weeks, subjected to castration. Samples were taken 10 minutes before (basal value) as well as one, two, three, four and 24 hours post castration and at the same time intervals from a control group of 17 animals which did not undergo surgery. Simultaneously to blood (indwelling catheter) withdrawing saliva was collected by two cotton swabs. Cortisol levels were measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). A highly significant increase in total, free and salivary cortisol was found within the first four hours after castration compared to the control group. The percentage increase one hour after castration above basal values was highest in free plasma cortisol (21.08 +/- 2.03 nmol/l vs. 61.26 +/- 4.16 nmol/l; 290.6%), and lowest in total plasma cortisol (177.33 +/- 9.69 nmol/l vs. 374.09 +/- 18.21 nmol/l; 211.0%), whereas salivary cortisol showed an 255.7% increase (10.46 +/- 1.03 nmol/l vs. 26.75 +/- 1.93 nmol/l). Total cortisol included 11.9-16.4% free cortisol. Salivary cortisol concentration was between 5.9% and 7.5% of the total plasma cortisol concentration. The highest correlation between total plasma cortisol and salivary cortisol occurred one hour after castration (r = 0.57; p < 0.01). The correlation between free and salivary cortisol was lowest for basal values (r = 0.27; p < 0.05), whereas correlations for the remaining time points were highly significant (0.41 < or = r < or = 0.61; p < 0.01). For the control group significant correlations were found between salivary and total plasma cortisol (0.58 < or = r < or = 0.89; p < 0.05) and between free and salivary cortisol (0.63 < or = r < or = 0.92; p < 0.05). The present work indicates that the measurement of salivary levels of cortisol reflects the concentration of this hormone in plasma samples of piglets.     

Behavioural and cortisol responses of lambs to castration and tailing using different methods

Lambs at 4-5 weeks of age were studied during the first 4 hours after castration and/or tailing using three methods in various commonly used combinations. The methods were: cutting with a knife, application of constricting rubber rings and using a heated docking iron (tailing only). Behaviour was monitored by quantifying the incidences of restlessness (during the first hour only), normal and abnormal standing/walking, and normal and abnormal lying. Plasma cortisol concentrations were also measured in samples taken at intervals during the 4 hours after treatment. With the knife, abnormal standing/walking predominated throughout the fist 4 hours and beyond, and restlessness was virtually absent. Plasma cortisol concentrations in knife-treated lambs remained above pretreatment values for at least 4 hours. With rings, high restlessness was invariably present during the first 30-45 minutes, and much of the associated standing/walking and lying was abnormal, but all behaviours had returned to control values within 4 hours of treatment, as had the plasma cortisol concentrations. There were no correlations between the incidences of abnormal behaviours and the plasma cortisol concentrations during the first 4 hour after any treatment, except that when abnormal behaviour was present the cortisol concentrations were greater than pretreatment values, and vice versa. Thus, the presence/absence of the abnormal behaviours reported here allowed an assessment of the duration of distress after castration and/or tailing. However, as the behavioural responses to castration and/or tailing were broadly procedure-specific, so that the responses to the knife and rings were not apparently part of the one behavioural continuum, it is argued that the relative intensities of distress caused by the two procedures cannot be assessed from behaviour alone. Rather, reference must also be made to established physiological indices of distress such as plasma cortisol concentration. On that basis, the knife treatments apparently caused greater and more protracted distress responses than did the ring or docking iron treatments, and should therefore be avoided. However, ring-treated lambs, especially those castrated or castrated and tailed apparently experienced distress, so that more benign alternatives to the use of rings should also be sought.     

Influence of local anaesthesia on short- and long-term pain induced in calves by three bloodless castration methods

Behavioural and cortisol responses of calves were used as indicators of pain to assess short- and long-term effects of three bloodless castration methods with and without local anaesthesia. Eighty calves, aged 21 to 28 days, were control handled (20) or castrated by Burdizzo (25), rubber ring (25), or crushing technique (10). Either a total volume of 10 ml of Lidocaine or NaCl was distributed in both spermatic cords and the scrotal neck. The plasma cortisol response was monitored for 72 hours, and behavioural and clinical traits over a three-month period. Castration success was assessed by degree of atrophy and histological tissue examination. The crushing technique cannot be recommended due to incomplete castration success, and the evaluation was stopped after 10 animals. Local anaesthesia reduced the level of indicators of acute pain after Burdizzo and rubber ring technique. It did, however, not result in a totally painless castration. When castration is performed at the age of 3 to 4 weeks, the rubber ring but not the Burdizzo method showed evidence of chronic pain lasting for several weeks.     

Performance and health of weanling bulls after butorphanol and xylazine administration at castration.

A total of 268 crossbred, 6- to 9-mo-old, bull calves (214 +/- 19 kg) were used in two separate 27-d experiments to assess the effects of butorphanol and xylazine administration (BXA) on the subsequent performance and health of beef calves. In each experiment, calves were randomly allotted to four treatment groups: 1) castration with BXA, 2) castration without BXA, 3) no castration with BXA, and 4) no castration without BXA. There were two replicates within each experiment. The intravenous administration of .07 mg/kg of butorphanol and .02 mg/kg of xylazine occurred 90 s before tail hold and castration procedures. Calves were placed in a squeeze chute and manually restrained by tail elevation. In Exp. 2, the cattle also were scored for chute activity (on a 1 to 5 scale with 5 being the most active). Cattle were weighed at the beginning and end of the experiment, feed intake was recorded daily, and cattle were monitored daily for respiratory disease. There were no castration x BXA interactions (P greater than .51). Castration reduced (P less than .01) daily gain and gain/feed and tended (P = .13) to reduce feed intake. The administration of BXA had no effect (P greater than .05) on gain or gain/feed but did tend (P = .13) to reduce feed intake. No differences (P greater than .45) were observed in morbidity or mortality due to either BXA or castration. Castration and BXA increased (P less than .01) blood cortisol levels on d 3, whereas control animals had reduced cortisol levels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of castration technique on beef calf performance, feed efficiency, and inflammatory response

The objective of this experiment was to examine the effect of castration technique on daily feed intake (DFI), daily water intake (DWI), growth performance, residual feed intake (RFI), and inflammatory response in weaned beef calves. Seventy-five beef calves (214 ± 3.2 kg; 200 ± 26 d of age) were housed in a GrowSafe 4000 feed intake facility 7 d post weaning (15 calves/pen). Calves were offered a total mixed ration (TDN = 67.3% and CP = 12.2%, DM = 89%) for ad libitum consumption. On d 0, calves were assigned to 1 of 5 treatments (n = 15 calves/treatment): 1) steers castrated surgically pre-weaning (52 d of age; CON); 2) intact bulls (BULL); 3) bulls castrated by the Callicrate Bander on d 0 (No-Bull Enterprises LLC.; BAN); 4) bulls castrated by the Henderson Castrating Tool on d 0 (Stone Mfg & Supply Co.; HEN); and 5) bulls castrated surgically utilizing an emasculator on d 0 (SUR). Average daily gain, DFI, and DWI were recorded over 84 d. Blood was collected from a sub-sample of calves (n = 45) on d 0, 2, 6, 9, 12, and 15 relative to castration. Castration decreased (P = 0.06) ADG for castrates compared with CON from d 0 to 14 but not d 0 to 84. Daily feed intake and DWI were similar (P > 0.10) among treatments during d 0 to 84. Gain:feed was not affected by castration technique; however, RFI tended (P = 0.09) to be negative for CON and BULL compared with castrates on d 0 to 14 but not d 0 to 84. Acute phase protein analyses indicated that surgical castration (SUR or HEN) elicited a short-term inflammatory response in calves, whereas calves castrated with BAN elicited a delayed response. Calves castrated pre-weaning had improved d 0 to 14 ADG, feed intake, and inflammation response compared with calves castrated at weaning. Banding elicited a delayed negative response in ADG, DWI, and inflammation. In weaned calves, castration method did not affect performance, DFI, DWI, or inflammatory response during the 84-d trial.     

Effect of isoflurane inhalation anesthesia on postoperative pain due to castration of piglets

Since April 2006 piglets in Germany can only be castrated without anesthesia in the first 7 days of life. However, a castration is a painful experience even for an animal of this young age. Whether the castration under isoflurane-anesthesia is a reasonable alternative to castration without anesthesia was tested in the following investigation at 206 4 to 6 day old piglets.The serum-cortisol-concentration was chosen as the parameter for the pain caused by castration. A part of the animals was castrated without anesthesia (group II, n = 42) or with anesthesia (group IV, n = 41). Additionally Meloxicam, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was applicated to piglets castrated with anesthesia (group V, n = 41). For control another part of the animals were only handled without (group I, n = 41) or with anesthesia (group III, n = 41), but they were not castrated. Cortisol-concentration prior to castration was compared to the concentration 0.5, 1,4 and 24 hours after castration. In addition cortisol was compared between groups at all points of time. Cortisol did rise significantly in castrated animals with animals with or without anesthesia than in animals of the non-castrated control groups. Cortisol after castration was significantly lower in piglets with an application of Meloxicam prior to castration. The pain caused by castration is an explanation for the differences in cortisol-concentration between castrated and not-castrated animals. Regarding those results, we assume that castration with isoflurane-anesthesia does not fulfil the demand for reducing pain after castration compared to castrating piglets without anesthesia.     

Stress in calves castrated surgically or by the application of rubber rings

The effects of castration were studied in calves 4 to 11 weeks of age, using increases in salivary cortisol as an indicator of stress. Groups were castrated surgically or by rubber ring application or were non-castrated (control) females. The surgically castrated group showed more agitation during the operation, but both castrated groups resumed normal behaviour soon after the operation was completed. The short-term salivary cortisol response was significantly higher after surgical castration than after the application of rubber rings, where, in turn, it was significantly higher than in the control group. Salivary cortisol was elevated over a period from 15 min to 3 h following the castration, but at 4, 24 h and 6 days post-treatment there were no significant differences between treated groups and controls.     

Influence of local anaesthesia on pain and distress induced by bloodless castration methods in young lambs

Behavioural and cortisol responses of lambs were used as indicators of pain and distress to assess short- and long-term effects of bloodless castration methods with and without local anaesthesia. Eighty lambs, aged 2-7 days, were control handled or castrated by crushing- Burdizzo- or rubber ring method with and without local anaesthesia. Either 4 mg/kg diluted lidocaine, or corresponding volumes of physiologic sodium chloride solution were distributed in both spermatic cords and the scrotal neck. The serum cortisol response was monitored for 48 h, behavioural- and clinical traits over a 3-month period. The crushing castration method was excluded from the study after 10 lambs had been castrated, since this method showed severe local reactions. Local anaesthesia significantly reduced behavioural and cortisol responses after rubber ring castration and tendentially after Burdizzo castration. Prolonged or chronic pain after rubber ring castration with anaesthesia was not evident. If combined with local anaesthesia, both the rubber ring and the Burdizzo method are acceptable methods for castration of lambs up to one week of age.