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20 pages, 2038 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Validation of the Unesp-Botucatu Goat Acute Pain Scale

by Mariana Werneck Fonseca, Pedro Henrique Esteves Trindade, Renata Haddad Pinho, André Augusto Justo, Rubia Mitalli Tomacheuski, Nuno Emanuel de Oliveira Figueiredo da Silva, Heraldo Cesar Gonçalves and Stelio Pacca Loureiro Luna

Animals 2023, 13(13), 2136; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132136 - 28 Jun 2023

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Abstract

We aimed to develop and validate the Unesp-Botucatu goat acute pain scale (UGAPS). Thirty goats (5 negative controls and 25 submitted to orchiectomy) were filmed for 7 min at the time points 24 h before and 2 h, 3 h (1 h after [...] Read more.

We aimed to develop and validate the Unesp-Botucatu goat acute pain scale (UGAPS). Thirty goats (5 negative controls and 25 submitted to orchiectomy) were filmed for 7 min at the time points 24 h before and 2 h, 3 h (1 h after analgesia), and 24 h after orchiectomy. After content validation, according to an ethogram and literature, four blind observers analyzed the videos randomly to score the UGAPS, repeating the same assessment in 30 days. According to the confirmatory factor analysis, the UGAPS is unidimensional. Intra- and interobserver reliability was very good for all raters (Intraclass correlation coefficient ≥85%). Spearman’s correlation between UGAPS versus VAS was 0.85 confirming the criterion validity. Internal consistency was 0.60 for Cronbach’s α Cronbach and 0.67 for McDonald’s ω. The item-total correlation was acceptable for 80% of the items (0.3–0.7). Specificity and sensitivity based on the cut-off point were 99% and 90%, respectively. The scale was responsive and demonstrated construct validity shown by the increase and decrease of scores after surgery pain and analgesia, respectively. The cut-off point for rescue analgesia is ≥3 of 10, with an area under the curve of 95.27%. The UGAPS presents content, criterion, and construct validities, responsiveness, and reliability to assess postoperative pain in castrated goats. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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13 pages, 12580 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antinociceptive, Sedative and Excitatory Effects of Intravenous Butorphanol Administered Alone or in Combination with Detomidine in Calves: A Prospective, Randomized, Blinded Cross-Over Study

by Ekaterina Gámez Maidanskaia, Alessandro Mirra, Emma Marchionatti, Olivier Louis Levionnois and Claudia Spadavecchia

Animals 2023, 13(12), 1943; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13121943 - 09 Jun 2023

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Abstract

(1) Background: The diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed under sedation or general anesthesia in bovines are numerous. The analgesic drugs that can be legally used are few, making perioperative analgesia challenging. (2) Methods: Calves were administered butorphanol 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ alone (SB) [...] Read more.

(1) Background: The diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed under sedation or general anesthesia in bovines are numerous. The analgesic drugs that can be legally used are few, making perioperative analgesia challenging. (2) Methods: Calves were administered butorphanol 0.1 mg kg⁻¹ alone (SB) or combined with 0.02 mg kg⁻¹ of a detomidine (DB) IV. The antinociceptive effect (trigeminocervical reflex threshold (TCRt)), as well as the behavioral (sedation and excitation) and physiological (heart and respiratory rate) changes were investigated. Five time windows were defined: BL (30 min pre-injection), T1 (0–30 min post-injection (PI)), T2 (31–60 min PI), T3 (61–90 min PI) and T4 (91–120 min PI). (3) Results: Both groups had a significative increase in TCRt at T1-T4 compared to the BL. The TCRt was significatively higher in DB than in SB at T1, T2 and T4. Heart rate decreased significatively in DB compared to that in BL. Calves were significantly more sedated in the DB group, and significantly more excited in the SB group compared to the BL. (4) Conclusions: Butorphanol alone has a statistically significant antinociceptive effect, but it elicits marked excitation, limiting its clinical applicability under this dosing regimen. The co-administration of detomidine eliminated the excitatory effect and induced consistent sedation and a significantly more pronounced antinociceptive effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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10 pages, 1096 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Changes in Dynamic Thiol/Disulfide Homeostasis, and Substance P, B-Endorphin and α-Tocopherol Concentrations in the Spinal Cord of Chronically Lame Dairy Cows

by Heine Müller, Daniel Herzberg, Ricardo Chihuailaf, Pablo Strobel, Marianne Werner and Hedie Bustamante

Animals 2023, 13(10), 1620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101620 - 12 May 2023

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Abstract

Initial lameness inflammation leads to chronic lameness and development of chronic pain due to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are implicated in the transition from acute to chronic pain, and free radical scavengers countering thiol, substance [...] Read more.

Initial lameness inflammation leads to chronic lameness and development of chronic pain due to the release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are implicated in the transition from acute to chronic pain, and free radical scavengers countering thiol, substance P (SP), and β-endorphin (BE). The present study aimed to evaluate the dynamic thiol–disulfide homeostasis, α-tocopherol concentrations and SP and BE concentrations in the spinal cord of chronically lame dairy cows. Ten lame and 10 non-lame cows with a parity range of 2–6 were selected for the study. Lame cows had a history of up to 3 months of lameness. Spinal cord samples were obtained from the L2 to L4 lumbar vertebrae aspect of each animal. A thiol–disulfide homeostasis assay was performed using absorbance, and the α-tocopherol concentration was determined by HPLC. SP and BE concentrations were measured using ELISA kits. The results indicated that SP and BE were significantly higher in the spinal cord of lame cows. In contrast, disulfide levels and α-tocopherol concentrations were significantly lower in the spinal cord of lame cows. In conclusion, disulfide levels and α-tocopherol concentrations indicated a defective antioxidant response in cows with chronic lameness. The results of SP and BE concentrations suggested chronic pain and a defective endogenous analgesic response. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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13 pages, 2116 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Behavior of Piglets in an Observation Arena before and after Surgical Castration with Local Anesthesia

by Regina Miller, Andrea Grott, Dorian Patzkéwitsch, Dorothea Döring, Nora Abendschön, Pauline Deffner, Judith Reiser, Mathias Ritzmann, Anna M. Saller, Paul Schmidt, Steffanie Senf, Julia Werner, Christine Baumgartner, Susanne Zöls, Michael Erhard and Shana Bergmann

Animals 2023, 13(3), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030529 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1793

Abstract

Surgical castration of piglets is generally recognized as a painful procedure, but there is currently no gold standard for the assessment of pain behavior in piglets. However, pain assessment is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of local anesthetics. In this study, we investigated [...] Read more.

Surgical castration of piglets is generally recognized as a painful procedure, but there is currently no gold standard for the assessment of pain behavior in piglets. However, pain assessment is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of local anesthetics. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of four local anesthetics in terms of pain relief during and after surgical castration in three sequential study parts. To do so, we filmed 178 piglets before the applied procedures, after injection of the local anesthetic, and up to 24 h after castration (five observation times in total) in an observation arena and compared their behavior before and after castration and between treatments and control groups. The results showed significant differences in the behavior of the piglets before and after castration and between the sham-castrated control group and the control group castrated without anesthesia. The different local anesthesia treatment groups showed diverging differences to the control groups. The most frequently shown pain-associated behaviors of the piglets were changes in tail position and hunched back posture. We observed a reduction but no complete elimination of the expressed pain-associated behaviors after local anesthesia. Several behavioral changes—such as changes in tail position, hunched back posture or tail wagging—persisted until the day after castration. Owing to the limited duration of the effects of the local anesthetics, local anesthesia did not influence long-term pain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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9 pages, 683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Ethogram of the Reproductive Behaviour of the American Mink (Neovison vison) in Farmed Conditions

by Beata Seremak, Aleksandra Wojciechowska, Bogumiła Pilarczyk and Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak

Animals 2023, 13(3), 443; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13030443 - 28 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Ethograms can serve as benchmarks against which abnormal animal behaviour can be identified, and then normal behaviour can be restored by appropriately modifying the environment in which an individual resides. The aim of the present study was to create an ethogram of the [...] Read more.

Ethograms can serve as benchmarks against which abnormal animal behaviour can be identified, and then normal behaviour can be restored by appropriately modifying the environment in which an individual resides. The aim of the present study was to create an ethogram of the reproductive behaviour of American mink kept in farmed conditions. The research material consisted of 12 one-year-old male American mink, pearl coloured, selected randomly from among the varieties of coloured mink on the farm, and 60 two-year-old females. The animals participating in the study were grouped into two breeding sets, each consisting of 30 females and 6 males. Reproductive rituals included chasing the female, grasping her neck with the teeth, marking the local area, mounting the partner, and sniffing the neck, anal and genital areas. The copulation times recorded in this study varied greatly, ranging from several minutes to over two hours. The obtained results indicate that the American mink can express some natural reproductive behaviour in breeding conditions, which may also be an indicator of the welfare of these animals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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11 pages, 2516 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sympathetic Arousal Detection in Horses Using Electrodermal Activity

by Kia Golzari, Youngsun Kong, Sarah A. Reed and Hugo F. Posada-Quintero

Animals 2023, 13(2), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020229 - 07 Jan 2023

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Abstract

The continuous monitoring of stress, pain, and discomfort is key to providing a good quality of life for horses. The available tools based on observation are subjective and do not allow continuous monitoring. Given the link between emotions and sympathetic autonomic arousal, heart [...] Read more.

The continuous monitoring of stress, pain, and discomfort is key to providing a good quality of life for horses. The available tools based on observation are subjective and do not allow continuous monitoring. Given the link between emotions and sympathetic autonomic arousal, heart rate and heart rate variability are widely used for the non-invasive assessment of stress and pain in humans and horses. However, recent advances in pain and stress monitoring are increasingly using electrodermal activity (EDA), as it is a more sensitive and specific measure of sympathetic arousal than heart rate variability. In this study, for the first time, we have collected EDA signals from horses and tested the feasibility of the technique for the assessment of sympathetic arousal. Fifteen horses (six geldings, nine mares, aged 13.11 ± 5.4 years) underwent a long-lasting stimulus (Feeding test) and a short-lasting stimulus (umbrella Startle test) to elicit sympathetic arousal. The protocol was approved by the University of Connecticut. We found that EDA was sensitive to both stimuli. Our results show that EDA can capture sympathetic activation in horses and is a promising tool for non-invasive continuous monitoring of stress, pain, and discomfort in horses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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15 pages, 960 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Limited Effects of Pain Control Treatments on Behaviour and Weight Gain of Pure and Crossbred Nellore Heifer Calves When Subjected to Hot-Iron Branding

by Adalinda Hernandez, Pedro Henrique Esteves Trindade, Mateus José Rodrigues Paranhos Da Costa, Jens Jung and Charlotte Berg

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3143; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223143 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1615

Abstract

Hot-iron branding is still commonly performed in cattle farming in tropical countries, and possibly has negative consequences for animal welfare and weight gain. This study examined the behavioural and weight gain responses of pure and crossbred Nellore heifer calves subjected to hot-iron branding [...] Read more.

Hot-iron branding is still commonly performed in cattle farming in tropical countries, and possibly has negative consequences for animal welfare and weight gain. This study examined the behavioural and weight gain responses of pure and crossbred Nellore heifer calves subjected to hot-iron branding on the cheek, without and with use of anaesthesia and analgesia. Ninety-two heifer calves, around 120 days old, were studied prospectively when subjected to hot-iron branding on the cheek (a statutory procedure in Brazil following brucellosis vaccination). Four randomly selected groups of calves were allocated to four treatments: no pain control (CO); subcutaneous anaesthetic local block (LA); intramuscular analgesia (meloxicam) (LT); and local anaesthesia plus meloxicam (LL). Behaviour, flight speed and body weight were evaluated before, during, and five (5-d) and 60 days (60-d) after branding. For these parameters, the only difference observed was higher tension in the CO group 5-d post-branding, suggesting a short-term negative effect of branding without pain control. The limited effects of the pain control treatments suggest interference in pain assessment by other factors, such as expression of fear and stress. Despite the lack of differences observed in behaviour and production parameters, facial hot-iron branding is an obvious welfare issue and, due to the additional handling involved, adoption of a simple pain relief protocol is not sufficient to minimise the welfare impact. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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14 pages, 1452 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Current Attitudes of Chinese Dairy Practitioners to Pain and Its Management in Intensively Raised Dairy Cattle

by Ruijia Shi, Hang Shu, Ruyang Yu, Yajing Wang, Ziqi Zhang, Junjie Zhang and Xianhong Gu

Animals 2022, 12(22), 3140; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12223140 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1129

Abstract

Pain in dairy cattle is gaining attention globally. This study investigated the current attitudes of Chinese dairy practitioners to pain and its management in intensively raised dairy cattle. A total of 465 valid questionnaires with 26 painful conditions scored on numerical rating scales [...] Read more.

Pain in dairy cattle is gaining attention globally. This study investigated the current attitudes of Chinese dairy practitioners to pain and its management in intensively raised dairy cattle. A total of 465 valid questionnaires with 26 painful conditions scored on numerical rating scales were collected from dairy practitioners. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and multivariate regression models. Dystocia was perceived as the most painful, while mild mastitis with milk changes only was perceived as the least painful. Respondents who agreed with the statement “pain management is worthwhile” tended to give a higher pain score. Young respondents (≤23 years old) and those from farms with ≤1000 cattle had lower pain scores for conditions with severe pain and low variability but higher pain scores for conditions with less severe pain and high variability, whereas highly educated respondents had consistently lower pain scores. As for pain management, older respondents (≥24 years old) tended to choose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and farms with >1000 cattle were more likely to use analgesics. Training in pain perception and management should be emphasised with the hope of promoting animal welfare and reducing unnecessary production losses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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Other

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17 pages, 658 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

The Feasibility of Animal-Based Indicators of Consciousness and Unconsciousness for Stunning in Sheep: A Systematic Review

by Marta Comin, Sara Barbieri, Michela Minero and Emanuela Dalla Costa

Animals 2023, 13(8), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081395 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1278

Abstract

Background: According to EU legislation, animal-based indicators (ABMs) are used to evaluate the efficacy of stunning methods to ensure that animals do not regain consciousness. EFSA has provided a list of ABMs for electrical and mechanical stunning in sheep; however, there is still [...] Read more.

Background: According to EU legislation, animal-based indicators (ABMs) are used to evaluate the efficacy of stunning methods to ensure that animals do not regain consciousness. EFSA has provided a list of ABMs for electrical and mechanical stunning in sheep; however, there is still a lack of information on their feasibility. We aimed to identify and evaluate the feasibility constraints of ABMs commonly applied in slaughterhouses to assess proper stunning in sheep. Method: For this systematic review, we searched the Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2000 to 8 August 2022, including full peer-reviewed papers written in English on the welfare of sheep at the stunning and restraint phases. We excluded studies using a gas stunning method or without prior stunning, as well as manuscripts in which indicators were applied after sticking. Results: Of 1289 records identified, only 8 papers were eligible for the critical evaluation of physical aspects that affect the feasibility of ABMs. These aspects were defined as a given definition of the feasibility of ABMs, and information was summarized and critically evaluated. The results highlighted a lack of information on the feasibility of ABMs which should be considered in the various conditions of commercial slaughterhouses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Welfare and Pain Assessment in Farmed Species)

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