Effects of a Concentrated Lidocaine Solution on the Acute Phase Stress Response to Dehorning in Dairy Calves

Abstract

The objective of this study was to more fully define the surgical stress response to dehorning by heat cauterization in dairy calves by measuring behavioral, hormonal, inflammatory, and immunological markers of stress and to determine whether a nerve block of the surgical site with a concentrated solution of lidocaine (5%) reduces the degree of stress. Thirty-two 10- to 12-wk-old female Holstein calves were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 treatments: 5% lidocaine followed by dehorning, 2% lidocaine followed by dehorning, saline followed by dehorning, or 5% lidocaine followed by sham dehorning. Plasma cortisol concentration was measured in blood samples collected via a jugular catheter at -0.5, 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 6, 9, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Various other blood constituents were measured in samples collected at -0.5, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h. Feeding, drinking, scratching, grooming, rubbing, licking, and inactivity behaviors were observed in the standing and recumbent positions using a 10-min scan sampling method analyzed on a time period and daily basis for 72 h following the dehorning procedure. The frequency of vocalization, kicking, and lying in the chute during the dehorning procedure were also assessed. The overall plasma cortisol concentrations were higher in calves subjected to dehorning than in control calves. Compared with the control group, the saline-treated calves had a higher cortisol concentration at 30 and 60 min postdehorning. Plasma cortisol concentrations were higher in all groups at 30 min postdehorning than at other sampling times. The percentage of circulating neutrophils and the neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio were increased in the saline and 2% lidocaine group. Total plasma protein, fibrinogen, and alpha1-acid glycoprotein concentrations were similar among treatments. The behavioral response to dehorning, as manifested by kicking while in the chute, was greater in the saline and 2% lidocaine group than in the control or 5% lidocaine treatment groups. In the postdehorning period, the percentage of time calves spent performing various maintenance behaviors did not differ among treatments. Thus, injection of 5% lidocaine may not provide any added comfort after the dehorning but may decrease the overall stress response during the procedure.

Performance assessment of Beetal kids due to disbudding pre-medication under stall-fed conditions

“…This may be due to species variation or different environmental conditions. Present findings, for cortisol, were in agreement with the observations of workers like Doherty et al (2007), Alvarez et al (2009) and Alvarez and Gutiérrez (2010). Higher concentration of the serum cortisol in D L + M , before and after disbudding, may be due to fear of thrice handling to animals of this group, i.e., once for hair cutting and twice for medication.…”

“…observed increased lymphocyte and monocyte with a mild eosinopenia under conditions like excitement and stress in ruminants. These findings were in agreement with Doherty et al (2007) who observed that the percentage of circulating neutrophils was greatest (P < 0.001) at 12 hours with saline-and 2% lignocaine -treated animals; however higher neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio in lignocaine-treated group may be due to species difference. Findings of serum biochemistry can be correlated with rise or fall in different hormones especially cortisol.…”

“…Due to inflammation, fluids and proteins moved to tissue and might have also contributed in decreased plasma albumin in groups having more stress (Eckersall 2008). However, these findings do not support the findings of Doherty et al (2007), who reported similar total plasma protein in calves dehorned after administrating lignocaine in 5%/2% lignocaine or saline or 5% lignocaine followed by sham dehorning. This may be due to species variation or different environmental conditions.…”

“…It may also be due to local irritation of lignocaine, probable interaction of lignocaine with meloxicam etc. Similarly, Doherty et al (2007) also observed that regardless of treatment, plasma cortisol concentration was greater (P < 0.001) in all calves 30 minutes post-dehorning compared with the other sampling times. Alvarez et al (2009) and Alvarez and Gutiérrez (2010) reported that disbudding by thermal cauterisation in goats caused an acute and significant increase in cortisol concentration and the values remained high for 2 hours.…”

Boynuz Köreltme İşlemi Uygulanan Buzağılarda Pre-Emptive Uygulanan Dexketoprofen Trometamol’un Akut Kortizol, İnflamatuar Yanıt ve Oksidatif Stres Üzerine Olan Etkisi

“…Ballou et al [20] reported that giving local anaesthetic and a systemic analgesic prevented the decrease in supernatant concentrations of TNF-α among surgical castration or dehorning procedure in calves. Leukocytosis and neutrophilia were previously reported following hot-iron dehorning in calves [21] . In our study, it was determined that TNF-α concentrations increased at 15 min after disbudding in both groups however, this increment was higher in control group than those in DEX group (P<0.05).…”