The welfare significance of the castration of cattle: A review

Stafford, KJ; Mellor, D. J.

doi:10.1080/00480169.2005.36560

Cited by 150 publications

(137 citation statements)

References 42 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

121

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Body weight does not change during the initial few days after castration in other species. 48 In our study, feed was withheld from the horses for 12 hours before surgery, and hunger may have contributed to increased locomotion because of restlessness and frequent foraging for food on the morning of day 2 (at -4 and 0 hours on the day of surgery). However, horses in all groups took fewer total steps on day 2, compared with the number of steps taken on other study days.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analgesic effects of butorphanol tartrate and phenylbutazone administered alone and in combination in young horses undergoing routine castration

Sanz¹,

Sellon²,

Cary³

et al. 2009

javma

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective-To compare the analgesic efficacy of administration of butorphanol tartrate, phenylbutazone, or both drugs in combination in colts undergoing routine castration. Design-Randomized controlled clinical trial. Animals-36 client-owned colts. Procedures-Horses received treatment with butorphanol alone (0.05 mg/kg [0.023 mg/ lb], IM, prior to surgery and then q 4 h for 24 hours), phenylbutazone alone (4.4 mg/kg [2.0 mg/lb], IV, prior to surgery and then 2.2 mg/kg [1.0 mg/lb], PO, q 12 h for 3 days), or butorphanol and phenylbutazone at the aforementioned dosages (12 horses/group). For single-drug-treated horses, appropriate placebos were administered to balance treatment protocols among groups. All horses were anesthetized, and lidocaine hydrochloride was injected into each testis. Physical and physiological variables, plasma cortisol concentration, body weight, and water consumption were assessed before and at intervals after surgery, and induction of and recovery from anesthesia were subjectively characterized. Observers assessed signs of pain by use of a visual analogue scale and a numerical rating scale. Results-Significant changes in gastrointestinal sounds, fecal output, and plasma cortisol concentrations were evident in each treatment group over time, compared with preoperative values. At any time point, assessed variables and signs of pain did not differ significantly among groups, although the duration of recumbency after surgery was longest for the butorphanol-phenylbutazone-treated horses. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-With intratesticular injections of lidocaine, administration of butorphanol to anesthetized young horses undergoing routine castration had the same apparent analgesic effect as phenylbutazone treatment. Combined butorphanolphenylbutazone treatment was not apparently superior to either drug used alone. (J Am Vet

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analgesic effects of butorphanol tartrate and phenylbutazone administered alone and in combination in young horses undergoing routine castration

Sanz¹,

Sellon²,

Cary³

et al. 2009

javma

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Although as reported in Baldridge et al (2011) chute exit velocity is not useful in sedated calves, the measure might be a useful adjunct in assessing nonsedating methods of pain relief due to castration but not dehorning. Surgical castration is generally followed by a period of reduced BW gain, the severity of which is usually related to the age of the animal at the time of the procedure (Bretschneider, 2005;Stafford and Mellor, 2005b;AVMA, 2011a). Losses in ADG after surgical castration tend to be greatest during the first 7 d after the procedure although cumulative ADG may be reduced through 27 to 35 d (Cohen et al, 1990;Fisher et al, 1996;Coetzee, 2013).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative effects of castration and dehorning in series or concurrent castration and dehorning procedures on stress responses and production in Holstein calves1

Mosher

Wang

Allen

et al. 2013

Journal of Animal Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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. 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...

show abstract

“…The most commonly used physical castration methods can be divided into methods in which the testicles are removed surgically or the blood supply is eliminated (Stafford and Mellor, 2005). Cutting off the blood supply with elastic rubber rings is labour extensive and a safe method, though the animal well-being is impacted (Booker et al, 2007;Stafford, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of castration and weaning conducted concurrently or consecutively on behaviour, blood traits and performance in beef calves

Lambertz

Farke-Röver

Moors

et al. 2015

Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of Burdizzo castration and abrupt weaning on the behaviour, blood traits and performance of beef calves when weaning was conducted concurrently or consecutively to castration. In total, 64 male beef calves aged between 6 and 7 months were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design with the following treatment groups (n = 16 animals per treatment): (1) castrated and concurrently weaned in week 0 (CAS-WEA); (2) castrated in week 0 and weaned in week 4 (CAS-CON); (3) bulls weaned in week 0 (BUL-WEA); and (4) bulls weaned in week 4 (BUL-CON). The behaviour of the calves was observed for 3 days following weaning. Blood was collected weekly from weeks 0 to 5 and analysed for the acute-phase protein haptoglobin, and neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages. BW was recorded weekly from weeks 0 to 7. Animals were slaughtered at 17 months and weight, dressing percentage and carcass classifications were recorded. On day 1 after weaning, the number of vocalizations (calls/10 min) was higher in BUL-WEA (7.2) and CAS-WEA (5.4) than in calves of CAS-CON (2.8) and BUL-CON (2.9) groups (P < 0.05). From days 1 to 3 vocalizations decreased in all groups. CAS-CON and BUL-CON animals spent 20% lying on day 1 after weaning compared with 40% in CAS-WEA and BUL-WEA calves (P < 0.05). The haptoglobin concentration decreased during the first 5 weeks after weaning in all groups independent of the castration, weaning group or its interaction (P > 0.05). WEA groups showed an increased average daily gain (ADG) during weeks 0 to 3 and a reduced ADG during 4 to 7 weeks in comparison with CON animals. At slaughter, bulls were about 80 kg heavier than castrates and had a superior dressing percentage and carcass classification (P > 0.05). In conclusion, weaning had a greater effect on the number of vocalizations, standing/walking and lying behaviour and ADG compared with Burdizzo castration. In comparison with undertaking the procedures separately, concurrent castration and weaning neither affected behaviour and haematological parameters nor impaired performance. There was no evidence that the concurrent application of both treatments markedly increased the stress response compared with their application at intervals of a few weeks.

show abstract

The welfare significance of the castration of cattle: A review

Cited by 150 publications

References 42 publications

Analgesic effects of butorphanol tartrate and phenylbutazone administered alone and in combination in young horses undergoing routine castration

Analgesic effects of butorphanol tartrate and phenylbutazone administered alone and in combination in young horses undergoing routine castration

Comparative effects of castration and dehorning in series or concurrent castration and dehorning procedures on stress responses and production in Holstein calves1

Effects of castration and weaning conducted concurrently or consecutively on behaviour, blood traits and performance in beef calves

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About