Current Knowledge on the Transportation by Road of Cattle, including Unweaned Calves.

Transport conditions have the potential to alter the physiological responses of animals to the psychological or physical stress of transport. Transportation may introduce multiple physical and psychological stressors to unweaned calves and adult cattle, including noise, overcrowding, food and water deprivation, extreme temperatures, commingling with unfamiliar animals, handling by unfamiliar humans, and being placed in a novel environment upon arrival. Apart from these factors, the type of road and even driving skill may affect the welfare of animals. One of the concerns regarding cattle transport is that the handling and marketing of animals prior to a journey may lengthen the period of feed withdrawal. Furthermore, feed withdrawal can impact animal welfare through hunger and metabolic stress. Transportation is also associated with a decrease in animal performance as well as an increase in the incidence of bovine respiratory disease. It is well established that the transportation of cattle is a stressor that causes a quantifiable response; however, excessive stress during transport resulting in physiological or pathological changes can be reduced with best management practices. The objective of this review was to analyse the available scientific literature pertaining to the transport by road of cattle, including unweaned calves.

Validation of the fCAL turbo immunoturbidimetric assay for measurement of calprotectin in porcine and bovine fecal samples.

The concentration of calprotectin in feces is a well-studied marker of gastrointestinal inflammation in humans. However, little is known about fecal calprotectin in farm animals. In this work, we have validated an immunoturbidimetric method for fecal calprotectin (Bühlmann fCAL® turbo assay, Schönenbuch, Switzerland) in porcine and bovine fecal samples. Linearity was evaluated by serial dilution (R2 > 0.97 was obtained for both species). Accuracy was assessed by a recovery study, with results between 80 and 120% for low, medium, and high samples in both species. Intra- and inter-assay variability was <20%. Limit of detection was 6.4 µg/g in pig and 5.3 µg/g in cow. Limit of quantification was 13.4 µg/g (pig) and 11.1 µg/g (cow). Additionally, clinical validation has been included to evaluate the ability of the assay to detect inflammatory status in the intestine under different management conditions. In experiments with porcine, it was found that piglets treated with ZnO had lower concentrations of fecal calprotectin. In a second experiment in bovine, calves with diarrhea had higher concentration of fecal calprotectin. The Bühlmann fCAL® turbo assay is suitable for measurement of calprotectin in porcine and bovine fecal samples. Moreover, fecal calprotectin could be a good biomarker of intestinal inflammation in both species.

Effect of rest, post-rest transport duration, and conditioning on performance, behavioural, and physiological welfare indicators of beef calves.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of conditioning, rest, and post-rest transport duration on welfare indicators of 6-7 mo old beef calves following a 20-h transport. Three hundred and twenty-eight weaned calves (237 ± 29.7 kg of BW) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 2 × 2 nested factorial design: conditioning, conditioned (C) or non-conditioned (N); rest, 0 (R0) or 8 (R8) h, and post-rest transport, 4 (T4) or 15 (T15) h. Calves were sampled before (LO1) and after (UN1) the initial 20-h journey, before (LO2) and after (UN2) the additional 4 or 15-h journey, and at 1, 2, 3, 5, 14, and 28 d after UN2. Data was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Fixed effects included conditioning, transport, and time nested within rest period, while random effects included animal and pen. Greater shrink (p < 0.01) was observed in C than N calves after the initial 20-h transport. During the first week after transportation, the mean ADG of N calves was greater than C calves (p < 0.01). From d 14 to d 28, however, the mean ADG of C calves was greater than N calves (p < 0.01). Flight speed, cortisol and L-lactate concentrations were greater (p ≤ 0.05) in C than N calves between LO1 and d 5, while greater (p ≤ 0.02) non-esterified fatty acids, creatine kinase, serum amyloid-A, and haptoglobin concentrations were observed in N than C calves between LO1 and d 3. The R8-T4 calves had greater (p < 0.01) ADG than R8-T15 calves between LO1 and d 5. The R0-T4 calves had greater L-lactate concentrations than R0-T15 and R8-T4 calves (both p = 0.02) on d 1. The R0 calves had greater (p < 0.01) ADG than R8 calves between 14 and 28 d. This study suggests that C calves are better fit for transport than N calves as evidenced by behavioural and physiological parameters. Fewer and inconsistent differences were observed for rest and post-rest transport treatments.

Welfare of equidae during transport.

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation. This opinion deals with the protection of horses and donkeys during transport. While the opinion focuses primarily on road transport of horses, there are specific sections dealing with the transport of horses on roll-on-roll-off ferries, horses transported by air and the transport of donkeys. In addition, the opinion covers welfare concerns in relation to a specific scenario identified by the European Commission related to the transport of horses on long journeys to slaughterhouses. Current practices related to transport of horses during the different stages (preparation, loading and unloading, transit and the journey breaks) are described. Overall, 13 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of horses during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: gastro-enteric disorders, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, isolation stress, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, resting problems, restriction of movement, sensory overstimulation and separation stress. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards were identified related to factors such as inexperienced/untrained handlers, lack of horse training, structural deficiencies of vehicles/facilities, poor driving skills/conditions, horse separation/regrouping, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions and poor husbandry practices. The opinion contains general and specific conclusions in relation to the different stages of transport. Recommendations to prevent hazards and correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and for space allowance. The development of welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey time.

Welfare of pigs during transport.

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the animal welfare legislation. The present Opinion deals with protection of pigs during transport. The welfare of pigs during transport by road is the main focus, but other means of transport are also covered. Current practices related to transport of pigs during the different stages (preparation, loading/unloading, transit and journey breaks) are described. Overall, 10 welfare consequences were identified as highly relevant for the welfare of pigs during transport based on the severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards were identified, mainly relating to factors such as mixing of unfamiliar pigs, inappropriate handling methods and devices, the use of pick-up pens, inexperienced/untrained handlers, structural deficiencies of vehicles and facilities, poor driving conditions, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions and poor husbandry practices leading to these welfare consequences. The Opinion contains general and specific conclusions relating to the different stages of transport of pigs. Recommendations to prevent hazards and to correct or mitigate welfare consequences are made. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions and minimum space allowance within means of transport. The development of the welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey duration. The Opinion covers specific animal transport scenarios identified by the European Commission relating to transport of cull sows and 'special health status animals', and lists welfare concerns associated with these.

Welfare of small ruminants during transport.

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of animal welfare legislation. The present Opinion deals with the protection of small ruminants (sheep and goats) during transport. The main focus is on welfare of sheep during transport by road but other means of transport and concerns for welfare of goats during transport are also covered. Current practices related to transport of sheep during the different stages (preparation, loading and unloading, transit and journey breaks) are described. Overall, 11 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of sheep during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, predation stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A wide variety of hazards, mainly relating to inappropriate or aggressive handling of animals, structural deficiencies of vehicles and facilities, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions and poor husbandry practices, leading to these welfare consequences were identified. The Opinion contains general and specific conclusions in relation to the different stages of transport. Recommendations to prevent hazards and to correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and spatial thresholds (minimum space allowance). The development of welfare consequences over time were assessed in relation to maximum journey time. The Opinion covers specific animal transport scenarios identified by the European Commission relating to the export of sheep by livestock vessels, export of sheep by road, roll-on-roll-off vessels and 'special health status animals', and lists welfare concerns associated with these.

Welfare of cattle during transport.

In the framework of its Farm to Fork Strategy, the Commission is undertaking a comprehensive evaluation of the animal welfare legislation. The present Opinion deals with protection of cattle (including calves) during transport. Welfare of cattle during transport by road is the main focus, but other means of transport are also covered. Current practices related to transport of cattle during the different stages (preparation, loading/unloading, transit and journey breaks) are described. Overall, 11 welfare consequences were identified as being highly relevant for the welfare of cattle during transport based on severity, duration and frequency of occurrence: group stress, handling stress, heat stress, injuries, motion stress, prolonged hunger, prolonged thirst, respiratory disorders, restriction of movement, resting problems and sensory overstimulation. These welfare consequences and their animal-based measures are described. A variety of hazards, mainly relating to inexperienced/untrained handlers, inappropriate handling, structural deficiencies of vehicles and facilities, poor driving conditions, unfavourable microclimatic and environmental conditions, and poor husbandry practices leading to these welfare consequences were identified. The Opinion contains general and specific conclusions relating to the different stages of transport for cattle. Recommendations to prevent hazards and to correct or mitigate welfare consequences have been developed. Recommendations were also developed to define quantitative thresholds for microclimatic conditions within the means of transport and spatial thresholds (minimum space allowance). The development of welfare consequences over time was assessed in relation to maximum journey duration. The Opinion covers specific animal transport scenarios identified by the European Commission relating to transport of unweaned calves, cull cows, the export of cattle by livestock vessels, the export of cattle by road, roll-on-roll-off ferries and 'special health status animals', and lists welfare concerns associated with these.

Characterization of Three Different Mediterranean Beef Fattening Systems: Performance, Behavior, and Carcass and Meat Quality.

The aim of this study was to characterize three different commercial dairy beef fattening systems for intensive Mediterranean fattening programs differing in gender, breed, nutrition, and days of feed in order to describe their performance, behavior, and carcass and meat quality when they were raised simultaneously under the same housing and care conditions. Treatments were three different production systems: (1) crossbred Holstein x beef breeds such as Charolais or Limousine heifers, slaughtered at 10 months of age (CBH10, n = 41); (2) Holstein bulls, slaughtered at 11 months of age (HB11, n = 42); and (3) crossbred Holstein x Angus bulls, slaughtered at 12 months of age (CAB12, n = 37). According to our results, moving from a production system based on Holstein bulls to the crossbred Angus production system has no technical support as no large production and meat quality improvements were observed, and only marketing strategies for meat differentiation and consumer trends could favor this decision.

Correlation between L-Lactate Concentrations in Beef Cattle, Obtained Using a Hand-Held Lactate Analyzer and a Lactate Assay Colorimetric Kit.

Lactate is a product of anaerobic glycolysis, used in animal research as an indicator of muscle fatigue. Therefore, it has been used as an indicator of cattle response to long distance transportation. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of L-lactate concentrations measured using a Lactate Scout+ analyzer and a traditional lactate assay colorimetric kit. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture from 96 steers (Black or Red Angus × Hereford/Simmental and Black or Red Angus × Charolais; 247 ± 38.2 kg BW) prior to loading (LO1) and after 36 h of transport, and prior to reloading and after an additional 4 h of road transportation, and on d 1, 2, 3, 5, 14, and 28 after transport. The Lactate Scout+ analyzer strip was dipped in blood at the time of sampling, while blood samples were collected into sodium fluoride tubes for use in the colorimetric analysis. Pearson correlations were calculated to assess the strength of the relationship between the experimental methods for the quantification of L-lactate concentrations. The magnitude and direction of the correlation, and the level of statistical significance varied over the observed time points, ranging from r = -0.03 (p = 0.75; LO1) to r = 0.75 (p < 0.0001; d 3). The correlation for the pooled data was weak but statistically significant (r = 0.33, p < 0.0001). Based on the low magnitude of the correlation due to variability across sampling time points in this study, the Lactate Scout+ analyzer is not a suitable alternative to a lab-based assay (considered the gold standard) for measuring L-lactate in transported cattle.

Effects of conditioning, source, and rest on indicators of stress in beef cattle transported by road.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the welfare of farm animals, especially during transportation. The Canadian transport regulations state that weaned cattle require an 8 h rest after 36 h of transport. There are, however, only a few studies that assess the effect of rest on the welfare of beef cattle. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of conditioning, source and rest on indicators of welfare in 7-8-month-old beef calves during long-distance transport. Treatments consisted of a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design where the main factors were conditioning: conditioned (C; n = 160) or non-conditioned (N; n = 160); source: auction market (A; n = 160) or ranch direct (R; n = 160); and rest: 0 h (0 h; n = 160) or 8 h (8 h; n = 160). Means of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum amyloid-A, haptoglobin, creatine kinase (CK), and percentage of time standing from N calves were greater than C calves (all p ≤ 0.05). Means of percentage of time standing and CK of R calves were greater than A calves (both p ≤ 0.05). The mean of NEFA of 0 h calves was greater than the 8 h calves (p < 0.01), while the percentage of time standing of 0 h calves was less than 8 h calves (p < 0.01). Statistically significant differences between means of NEFA and standing percentage, were observed between 0 h and 8h calves. Few and inconsistent indicators of reduced welfare were observed between auction market and ranch direct calves, while non-conditioning was associated with greater physiological and behavioural indicators of reduced welfare. Based on these results, conditioning should be implemented as a management practice to improve the welfare of transported calves.

Strategies for Feeding Unweaned Dairy Beef Cattle to Improve Their Health.

In order to answer the question of whether nutritional interventions may help to reduce the incidence of respiratory disease in dairy beef calves at arrival, the present review is divided in three sections. In the first section, the nutrition of calves previous to the arrival from the origin farm to the final rearing farm is reviewed. In the second section, the possible consequences of this previous nutrition on gut health and immune status upon arrival to the rearing farm are described. The main consequences of previous nutrition and management that these unweaned calves suffer at arrival are the negative energy balance, the increased intestinal permeability, the oxidative stress, the anemia, and the recovery feed consumption. Finally, in the third section, some considerations to advance in future nutritional strategies are suggested, which are focused on the prevention of the negative consequences of previous nutrition and the recovery of the gut and immune status. Moreover, additional suggestions are formulated that will be also helpful to reduce the incidence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) that are not directly linked to nutrition like having a control golden standard in the studies or designing risk categories in order to classify calves as suitable or not to be transported.

Effect of transport and rest stop duration on the welfare of conditioned cattle transported by road.

The effects of providing rest on physiological and behavioural indicators of welfare of cattle being transported by road has not been well studied in North America. New revisions to Canada's Health of Animals Regulations Part XII: Transportation of Animals indicate un-weaned and weaned calves can be transported a maximum of 12 and 36 h, respectively, before an 8 h rest is required. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of rest duration, after 12 and 36 h of transport, on physiological and behavioural indicators of welfare in 7-8 mo-old beef calves. Three hundred and twenty conditioned calves (258 ± 23.9 kg BW) were randomly assigned to a 2 × 4 factorial design where the main factors included transport duration: 12 h (12; n = 160) and 36 h (36; n = 160) and rest stop duration: 0 h (R0; n = 80), 4 h (R4; n = 80), 8 h (R8; n = 80) and 12 h (R12; n = 80). After the resting period, animals were transported for an additional 4 h. Blood and hair samples were taken from 12 animals per treatment prior to and after the first and the 4 h transport; and then 7 h, 2 d and 28 d after the 4 h transport. The concentrations of haptoglobin, creatine kinase, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), lactate, and serum and hair cortisol were determined. Standing and lying behaviour was assessed for 14 d after transport, while feeding behaviour of calves in one pen per treatment were assessed for 28 d after transportation using an electronic feed bunk monitoring system. Body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG) and shrink (%) was assessed for all calves. The data was modeled using generalized linear mixed methods (SAS PROC GLIMMIX), where transport and time (nested in rest) were considered fixed effects and animal and pen were considered random effects. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects of transport were observed on BW and shrink, where 36 h-transported calves had lower (p < 0.01) BW and greater (p < 0.01) shrink than 12 h-transported calves. A transport × time (nested in rest) interaction (p < 0.01) was observed for lying percentage where, 36-R8 calves had greater (p < 0.01) lying percentage than 12-R8 calves on d 1 after transportation. The area under the curve (AUC) for NEFA was greater (p < 0.01) for 36-R0 calves than 12-R0, 36-R4, and 36-R8 calves, and greater (p < 0.01) in 36-R12 calves than 12-R12 calves. Haptoglobin AUC was greater (p = 0.05) in 36-R12 than 12-R12 calves. Overall, physiological indicators of reduced welfare were greater in calves transported for 36 than 12 h, while no clear differences were observed between rest stop groups with the exception of NEFA. Based on these results, conditioned calves benefit from shorter transport durations but there was no clear evidence that calves rested 4, 8, and 12 h following transportation experienced reduced transport related stress compared to those that were not rested (0h).

Measuring behavioral and physiological responses to pain mitigation for ovariectomy in Bos taurus yearling beef heifers.

Ovariectomy (spaying) using the trans-vaginal dropped ovary technique (DOT) is performed to prevent pregnancy in cull female beef cattle that are not retained for breeding stock in areas practicing extensive grazing management. There are no reports describing analgesia for this surgical procedure. The objective of this study was to measure behavioral and physiological responses to determine whether an analgesic protocol of BXK [butorphanol (0.01 mg/kg), xylazine (0.02 mg/kg), and ketamine (0.04 mg/kg)] injected intramuscularly (i.m.) before spaying could mitigate procedural and immediate postsurgical pain, and whether oral meloxicam (1 mg/kg) administered at the time of spaying could mitigate postsurgical inflammatory pain. Forty-four red Angus and Angus crossbred yearling heifers (322 ± 27.0 kg BW) were randomly allocated to 1 of 3 groups: PALP (control; palpated but not spayed; n = 14), SPAY (spayed with no analgesia; n = 15), and BXKM (spayed with analgesia; n = 15). Behavioral measurements included visual analog scale (VAS) score, flight speed (FS), stride length (SL), and gait score (GS), as well as activity (lying, standing) and feeding behavior. Physiological measurements included salivary cortisol (SC), haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), substance P (SP), complete blood count (CBC), and rectal temperature (RT). Saliva and blood samples were collected, and RT, FS, SL, and GS were measured on day -1, day 0 (time of palpation/spaying), and hours 1, 2, 4, and days 1, 2, 4, and 7 after palpation/spaying. The BXKM heifers had lower SC concentrations than SPAY heifers at 1 h (P = 0.01) and 2 h (P = 0.004). Heifers treated with BXKM had Hp concentrations lower than SPAY heifers at 2 d (P = 0.01), 4 d (P < 0.001), and 7 d (P = 0.008), and lower Hp concentrations than PALP heifers at 4 d (P < 0.001). Concentrations of SAA were greater (P = 0.04) in BXKM heifers than in PALP heifers at 1 h and lower in PALP heifers than in BXKM heifers (P = 0.02) and SPAY heifers (P = 0.05) at 1 d. Heifers in the BXKM group had higher RT than PALP and SPAY heifers at 1 h (P < 0.001) and 2 h (P = 0.004). Results suggest that DOT ovariectomy is acutely stressful and painful and administration of BXK before spaying and meloxicam at the time of spaying mitigated the procedural and postsurgical stress, pain, and inflammation.

Is Sertraline a Good Pharmacological Strategy to Control Anger? Results of a Systematic Review.

Introduction: Extensive research has made it possible to conclude that dysfunctions in serotoninergic transmission are associated with a tendency toward violence and behavioral dysregulations in humans. In this regard, it has been suggested that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as sertraline, which regulate the serotonin system, might reduce proneness to violence. Aims: This review aims to explore changes in feelings of anger-state (e.g., irritability and hostility) and anger expression as primary outcomes after sertraline treatment. Methods: Based on PRISMA quality criteria for reviews, a literature search was carried out through PubMed, PsycINFO, Dialnet, Psicodoc, Web of Knowledge, and the Cochrane Library. Results: Initially, 605 publications were identified, removing 219 duplicate manuscripts and screening the titles and abstracts of the remaining 386 records. This process left 248 articles for full-text reading, finally including 15 entries. Thus, several empirical studies were included that employed different research designs. In this regard, we considered 3 case reports, 5 open clinical trials, and 7 randomized placebo-controlled trials. The majority of the studies were unanimous in concluding that a large percentage of patients with high irritability levels responded satisfactorily to sertraline treatment. In fact, their mood improved, and they experienced a reduction in irritability and anger expression after a few weeks of treatment (approximately two weeks). However, it was necessary to increase the sertraline dose after months of treatment to avoid exhaustion effects. Moreover, not all the patients responded to the treatment and it is particularly interesting that a small percentage of patients were refractory to treatment or even showed an increase in irritability after a few weeks of treatment. In those cases, it was necessary to discontinue the treatment or reduce the dose to the initial levels. Discussion: Although it is necessary to be cautious about the benefits of sertraline as a way to control anger and irritability, it is relevant to consider pharmacological strategies to reduce anger-state as coadjutant treatments to psychotherapy in order to promote lasting changes in violent populations.

Pharmacokinetics of oral and subcutaneous meloxicam: Effect on indicators of pain and inflammation after knife castration in weaned beef calves.

Oral meloxicam is labelled for reducing pain and inflammation associated with castration in cattle in Canada, however, subcutaneous meloxicam is only labelled for pain associated with dis-budding and abdominal surgery. The aim of this project was to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of oral (PO; 1.0 mg/kg BW) and subcutaneous meloxicam (SC; 0.5 mg/kg BW), and to assess the effect of meloxicam on physiological and behavioural indicators of pain associated with knife castration in 7-8 month old calves. Twenty-three Angus crossbred beef calves (328 ± 4.4 kg BW) were randomly assigned to two treatments: PO n = 12 or SC n = 11 administration of meloxicam immediately before knife castration. Physiological parameters included salivary and hair cortisol, substance P, haptoglobin, serum amyloid-A, weight, complete blood count, scrotal and rectal temperature. Behavioural parameters included standing and lying behaviour, pen behaviour and feeding behaviour. Data were analyzed using PROC GLIMMIX (SAS), with repeated measures using mixed procedures including treatment as a fixed effect and animal and pen as a random effect. The pharmacokinetic profile of the drug including area under the curve, volume of distribution and clearance was greater (P < 0.05) in PO than SC calves. After surgery, substance P concentrations, white blood cell counts (WBC), weight and lying duration were greater (P < 0.05) in PO than SC calves, while scrotal circumference was lower (P < 0.05) in PO calves than SC calves. Although statistical differences were observed for pharmacokinetic, physiological and behavioural parameters differences were small and may lack biological relevance.

Prevalence and lameness-associated risk factors in Alberta feedlot cattle.

Lameness in cattle is a health and welfare concern; however, limited information is available on risk factors and the relationship between lameness and common diseases like bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Therefore, the objectives of this study were to: 1) identify prevalence of lameness in feedlot cattle and related risk factors of cattle diagnosed as lame; and 2) determine associations between BRD occurrence and lameness. Feedlot cattle health records were available from 28 feedlots for 10 yr. The data set consisted of 663,838 cattle records, with 13.9% (92,156) diagnosed with a disease, including 32.3%, 46.0%, and 22.0% with lameness, BRD, and other diagnoses, respectively. Lameness was classified into four categories: foot rot (FR), joint infections (JI), lame with no visible swelling (LNVS), and injuries (INJ), with a prevalence of 74.5%, 16.1%, 6.1%, and 3.1%, respectively. Lameness was compared across cattle types (arrival date and weight) as well as age classification (calf vs. yearling), gender (steer vs. heifer), and season of placement in the feedlot (spring, summer, fall, and winter). Within the disease-diagnosed population, lameness represented 28.5% of treated fall-placed calves, 38.5% of winter-placed calves, and 40.8% of treated yearlings. Foot rot was the most common diagnosis with 74.5% of all lameness diagnoses, with winter- and fall-placed calves more likely to be diagnosed with FR compared to yearlings (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10-1.30 and OR: 1.46, 95% CI: 1.38-1.55, respectively). Joint infections were the second most common diagnosis (16.1%). Compared to yearlings, fall-placed calves had a higher odds (OR: 3.64, 95% CI: 3.12-4.24) for JI. Injuries and LNVS were the least common but again fall-placed calves had higher odds of this diagnosis compared to yearlings (OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.70-2.99 and OR: 9.10, 95% CI: 6.26-13.2, respectively). Gender was significantly different for JI as steers were less likely affected compared to heifers (OR: 0.687, 95% CI: 0.545-0.867), and more likely affected by LNVS (OR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.57-3.84). Of all lameness-associated deaths, JI accounted for almost 50%. Finally, cattle diagnosed with BRD were subsequently more likely to be diagnosed with INJ, JI, or LNVS (P < 0.001 for all comparisons). In conclusion, animal type and gender were associated with type of lameness diagnoses, allowing feedlots to allocate resources to groups at highest risk and focus on early intervention strategies.

Effect of meloxicam and lidocaine administered alone or in combination on indicators of pain and distress during and after knife castration in weaned beef calves.

To assess the effect of meloxicam and lidocaine on indicators of pain associated with castration, forty-eight Angus crossbred beef calves (304 ± 40.5 kg of BW, 7-8 months of age) were used in a 28 day experiment. The experiment consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial design where main factors included provision of analgesia and local anaesthesia. Analgesia consisted of: no-meloxicam (N; n = 24) single s.c. administration of lactated ringer's solution and meloxicam (M; n = 24) single dose of 0.5 mg/kg of s.c. meloxicam. Local anesthesia consisted of: no-lidocaine (R; n = 24) ring block administration of lactated ringer's solution or lidociane (L; n = 24) ring block administration of lidocaine. To yield the following treatments: no meloxicam + no lidocaine (N-R; n = 12), no meloxicam + lidocaine (N-L; n = 12), meloxicam + no lidocaine (M-R; n = 12) and meloxicam + lidocaine (M-L; n = 12). Salivary cortisol concentrations were lower (lidocaine × time effect; P < 0.01) in L calves than R calves 0.5 and 1 hours after castration, while concentrations were lower (meloxicam × time effect; P = 0.02) in M calves than N calves at 2, 4 and 48 hours. The serum amyloid-A concentrations were greater (lidocaine × time effect; P < 0.01) in R calves than L calves on days 1, 3, 21 and 28 after castration. Haptoglobin concentrations were greater (meloxicam × time effect; P = 0.01) in N calves than M calves 24 and 48 hours after castration. Lower (lidocaine effect; P < 0.01) visual analog scale (VAS) scores, leg movement frequencies and head movement distance were observed in L calves than R calves at the time of castration. Escape behaviour during castration was lower (lidocaine effect; P < 0.05) in L calves than R calves based on data captured with accelerometer and head gate devices. Scrotal circumference had a triple interaction (lidocaine × meloxicam × time; P = 0.03), where M-R calves had greater scrotal circumference than M-L calves 28 d after castration, but no differences were observed between both groups and N-R and N-L calves. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed for average daily gain (ADG), weights or feeding behaviour. Overall, both lidocaine and meloxicam reduced physiological and behavioural indicators of pain. Although there was only one meloxicam × lidocaine interaction, lidocaine and meloxicam reduced physiological and behavioural parameters at different time points, which could be more effective at mitigating pain than either drug on its own.

A longitudinal investigation of an outbreak of toe tip necrosis syndrome in western Canadian feedlot cattle.

This investigation followed a cohort (n = 21) of single-sourced Angus cross yearling heifers diagnosed with toe tip necrosis syndrome (TTNS). The animals were intensively followed for ~7 months, over which time 5 animals were euthanized because of intractable lameness or life-threatening sequelae such as cellulitis and myositis. Treatment consisted of systemic antimicrobial and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy, removing the necrotic horn tissue to facilitate drainage, and relocating the cattle to an earthen-floor pen. Sixteen of the 21 heifers recovered uneventfully. Upon sectioning the feet after slaughter, all the foot lesions had healed, but in some instances, the 3rd phalangeal bone had undergone bone remodeling, indicative of an earlier pathological process. This study is unique in that it chronicled the clinical and pathological outcomes associated with TTNS over an extended period.

Enquête longitudinale d'une éclosion du syndrome de nécrose de la pince chez les bovins de parcs d'engraissement dans l'Ouest canadien. Cette enquête a suivi une cohorte (n = 21) de génisses de race croisée Angus âgées d'un an provenant d'une seule source qui ont reçu un diagnostic de syndrome de la nécrose de la pince. Les animaux ont fait l'objet d'un suivi intensif de ~7 mois, pendant lequel 5 animaux ont été euthanasiés en raison d'une boiterie intraitable ou de séquelles potentiellement mortelles comme la cellulite et la myosite. Le traitement a consisté d'antimicrobiens systémiques et de traitements anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens, de l'enlèvement des tissus nécrosés de la corne afin de faciliter le drainage et du déplacement des bovins dans des enclos dotés d'un plancher de terre battue. Seize des 21 génisses se sont rétablies sans incident. Au moment du sectionnement des pieds après l'abattage, toutes les lésions des pieds avaient guéri mais, dans certaines instances, l'os de la troisième phalange avait subi un remodelage osseux, ce qui indique un processus pathologique antérieur. Cette étude est unique parce qu'elle dresse l'historique des résultats cliniques et pathologiques associés au syndrome de nécrose de la pince pendant une période prolongée.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

Effect of a single dose of subcutaneous meloxicam prior to band or knife castration in 1-wk-old beef calves: II. Inflammatory response and healing.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a single dose of subcutaneous (s.c.) meloxicam administered at the time of knife and band castration on inflammatory response and wound healing over 56-d post-castration. Seventy-two Angus crossbred calves (47.3 ± 6.70 kg of body weight [BW] and 7 to 8 d of age) were randomly assigned according to a 3 × 2 factorial design assessing castration method: sham (CT), band (BA), and knife (KN) castration, and pain mitigation: non-medicated (NM) and medicated calves (M) injected s.c. with meloxicam (0.5 mg/kg of BW). Calf BW, rectal temperature, swelling ("0": no swelling; "4": swelling needing intervention) and healing score ("1" to "5" with "5" being completely healed), scrotal circumference, and maximum scrotal temperature were measured on d -1, immediately before castration (d 0), and weekly thereafter over a 56-d period. Blood samples for haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid-A (SAA), and complete blood cell count were collected according to the same schedule. Hair samples were collected on d -1, 28, and 56 to determine cortisol concentrations. Standing and lying behaviors were measured using accelerometers that were placed on the calves on d -1 until d 35, and visual observations of behaviors related to pain were recorded once a week for 35 d. Knife-castrated calves achieved swelling scores of "3" and "2" between d 7 and 14, which was sooner (Z< 0.05) than in BA calves (from d 14 to 35). In addition, greater (P = 0.03) concentrations of SAA were observed in BA calves (76.9 ± 0.12 g/liter) compared with CT (57.6 ± 0.12 g/liter) and KN (51.6 ± 0.12 g/liter) from d 7 to 35. Healing scores of "2" and "4" tended to be achieved sooner (Z < 0.10) in KN calves than in BA calves, although healing scores of "3" tended to be achieved sooner (Z < 0.10) in BA calves than KN calves. No differences (P > 0.10) were observed among treatments for hair cortisol on d -1 and 28, but on d 56, hair cortisol concentrations in BA-NM calves were greater (P > 0.05) than for CT-NM, BA-M, KN-NM, and KN-M, and tended to be greater (P = 0.08) than for CT-M calves. Lying duration tended (P = 0.10) to be greater and suckling behavior tended (P = 0.08) to be lower in NM than M calves. A single s.c. injection of meloxicam did not reduce long-term inflammatory responses or improve wound healing; however, it may be useful in reducing pain and stress in band castrated calves as evidenced by reduced hair cortisol concentrations up to 56 d post-castration.

Effect of subcutaneous meloxicam on indicators of acute pain and distress after castration and branding in 2-mo-old beef calves1,2.

The aim of this study was to assess knife castration and knife castration + branding in 2-mo-old calves, and the effect of a single dose of s.c. meloxicam at mitigating pain indicators. Seventy-one Angus crossbred bull calves (128 ± 18.5 kg of BW) were used in a 3 × 2 factorial design where main factors included procedure: sham (control calves, CT; n = 23), knife (KN; n = 24) or knife + branding (BK; n = 24), and medication: single s.c. administration of lactated ringer solution (NM; n = 35) or a single dose of 0.5 mg/kg of s.c. meloxicam (M; n = 36). Physiological samples were collected at T0, 60, 90, 120, and 180 min and on days 1, 2, 3, and 7 after procedure, whereas behavioral observations were evaluated at 2 to 4 h and 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after procedure. A procedure × time effect (P < 0.01) was observed for cortisol, where KN and BK calves had greater (P ≤ 0.01) cortisol concentrations than CT calves 60 min after the procedure, whereas BK calves had the greatest (P < 0.05) cortisol concentrations, followed by KN calves and by CT calves 90, 120, and 180 min after the procedure. A procedure × time effect (P = 0.01) was observed for tail flicks, where KN and BK calves had a greater (P < 0.05) number of tail flicks than CT calves on days 1 and 3, whereas BK calves had the greatest number of tail flicks, followed by KN calves, and then by CT calves on day 2. Haptoglobin had a procedure × medication × time interaction (P = 0.05), where BK-NM calves had greater haptoglobin concentrations than BK-M, KN-M, and CT calves on days 1 and 3, whereas BK-NM and KN-NM calves had greater haptoglobin concentrations than BK-M, KN-M, and CT calves on day 2 after the procedure. Lying duration and tail flicks had a medication effect (P = 0.04; P < 0.01) where M calves had greater (P < 0.05) lying duration and lower (P < 0.05) number of tail flicks than NM calves 2 to 4 h after procedure. No medication effects (P > 0.10) were observed for salivary cortisol, substance P, and scrotal temperature minutes after the procedure or for cortisol, substance P, serum amyloid-A, stride length, or behavioral observations days after the procedure. Overall, BK calves presented greater physiological and behavioral indicators of acute pain than KN calves, suggesting that the combination of knife castration + branding was more painful. Meloxicam administered s.c. was effective at reducing physiological and behavioral indicators of acute pain associated with knife castration and knife castration + branding.