Shutt D A, Fell L R, Connell R, Bell A K
Hawkesbury Agricultural Research Unit, Richmond, New South Wales.
Aust Vet J. 1988 Jan;65(1):5-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1988.tb14920.x.
A comparative study has been made in lambs 3 to 6 weeks of age of the behavioural responses and changes in plasma immunoreactive beta-endorphin (ir beta-endorphin) and cortisol after docking or docking plus castration by the application of rubber rings or by surgery. The use of rubber rings on lambs at this age was characterised by very agitated behaviour indicative of considerable distress for a period of up to 1 h. In contrast, surgery was accompanied by some post-operative shock exhibited by reduced exploratory and social behaviour, at least in the lambs exposed to docking plus castration. In the latter group there were highly significant increases in both plasma ir beta-endorphin and cortisol concentrations that may be consistent with the induction of stress-induced analgesia. We conclude that surgery caused less distress than the rubber rings, and is therefore preferable for docking and castration of lambs 3 to 6 weeks of age.
对3至6周龄羔羊采用橡胶环法或手术法进行断尾或断尾加去势后，对其行为反应以及血浆免疫反应性β-内啡肽（irβ-内啡肽）和皮质醇的变化进行了一项比较研究。在此年龄的羔羊使用橡胶环时，其行为表现非常躁动，这表明在长达1小时的时间内会有相当大的痛苦。相比之下，手术会伴随一些术后休克，表现为探索和社交行为减少，至少在接受断尾加去势的羔羊中如此。在后一组中，血浆irβ-内啡肽和皮质醇浓度均显著升高，这可能与应激诱导的镇痛作用有关。我们得出结论，手术造成的痛苦比橡胶环法少，因此对于3至6周龄的羔羊断尾和去势而言，手术是更可取的方法。
