Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
J Anim Sci. 2013 Oct;91(10):4965-74. doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-6070. Epub 2013 Jul 26.
Two experiments evaluated the effects of band castration and oral administration of an analgesic in association with castration on performance and behavioral and physiological responses in yearling beef bulls. In Exp. 1 Angus and Charolais-crossbred bull calves (n = 127; 309.8 ± 59.04 kg BW) and in Exp. 2 Hereford, Angus, and Hereford × Angus crossbred bulls (n = 30; 300.8 ± 4.96 kg BW) were stratified by BW and randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) band castration (BAND), 2) band castration with oral administration of meloxicam (BAND-MEL), and 3) sham castration (SHAM). The BAND and SHAM procedures were completed on d 0. The SHAM treatment consisted of all animal manipulations associated with band castration without band application. Meloxicam was administered on d -1, 0, and 1 (1.0, 0.5, and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively) via an oral bolus. Body weight and a subjective chute score (CS) were collected on d -1, 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21 (d 28 Exp. 1 only). In Exp. 2, jugular blood samples were collected immediately before castration and 24 h postcastration for substance P (SP) analysis. In Exp. 2, video documentation on d 0 was used to determine range of vertical head motion (DIST) on a subset of animals during treatment administration. In both experiments, ADG was similar (P ≥ 0.50) between BAND and BAND-MEL, but ADG in SHAM cattle was greater (P < 0.001) and tended (P = 0.07) to be greater than castrates in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. In Exp. 1, CS did not differ (P ≥ 0.26) between BAND and BAND-MEL on any day, but castrates exhibited less desirable CS on d 1 and 28 than SHAM cattle. In Exp. 2, CS was not affected (P ≥ 0.41) by castration or the presence of meloxicam. In Exp. 2, DIST did not differ (P = 0.57) between BAND and BAND-MEL, but when pooled, castrates exhibited greater (P = 0.04) DIST than SHAM. In Exp. 2, plasma SP concentrations were similar between BAND and BAND-MEL (P = 0.81) and between castrates vs. sham cattle (P = 0.67). Results indicate no impact of meloxicam administration on performance or behavioral and physiological responses to band castration. However, there was a negative impact of castration on ADG and DIST.
两个实验评估了带结扎和口服镇痛药联合去势对育肥牛的性能以及行为和生理反应的影响。在实验 1 中，安格斯和夏洛莱杂交公牛（n = 127；309.8 ± 59.04 kg BW）和实验 2 中的赫里福德、安格斯和赫里福德×安格斯杂交公牛（n = 30；300.8 ± 4.96 kg BW）按 BW 分层，然后随机分配到 3 种处理之一：1）带结扎（BAND），2）带结扎和口服美洛昔康（BAND-MEL），3）假结扎（SHAM）。BAND 和 SHAM 程序在 d 0 完成。SHAM 处理包括与带结扎相关的所有动物操作，但不使用带结扎。美洛昔康通过口服丸剂在 d -1、0 和 1 给药（分别为 1.0、0.5 和 0.5 mg/kg）。在 d -1、0、1、7、14 和 21（仅在实验 1 中 d 28）收集体重和主观滑门评分（CS）。在实验 2 中，在去势前和去势后 24 小时采集颈静脉血液样本，用于分析 P 物质（SP）。在实验 2 中，在 d 0 进行视频记录，以确定治疗期间一部分动物的垂直头部运动范围（DIST）。在两个实验中，BAND 和 BAND-MEL 之间的 ADG 相似（P ≥ 0.50），但 SHAM 牛的 ADG 更高（P < 0.001），并且在实验 1 和 2 中分别趋于高于去势牛。在实验 1 中，BAND 和 BAND-MEL 之间的 CS 在任何一天都没有差异（P ≥ 0.26），但去势牛在 d 1 和 28 的 CS 不如 SHAM 牛理想。在实验 2 中，去势或美洛昔康的存在都没有影响 CS（P ≥ 0.41）。在实验 2 中，DIST 没有因 BAND 和 BAND-MEL 而不同（P = 0.57），但集中后，去势牛的 DIST 比 SHAM 牛更大（P = 0.04）。在实验 2 中，BAND 和 BAND-MEL 之间的血浆 SP 浓度相似（P = 0.81），去势牛与 SHAM 牛之间的血浆 SP 浓度也相似（P = 0.67）。结果表明，美洛昔康的给药对带结扎的性能或行为和生理反应没有影响。然而，去势对 ADG 和 DIST 有负面影响。
