Cortisol and ACTH release in dairy cows in response to machine milking after pretreatment with morphine and naloxone

The aim of the study was to examine the effect of morphine and naloxone pretreatment on cortisol and ACTH concentrations in response to machine milking in dairy cows. In the first part of the experiment, the effects of i.v. morphine doses (0, 21, 70 and 210 mg, one dose each day) 10 min before morning milking were studied in six Brown Swiss dairy cows. In the second part, four cows were treated 1 d after the control milking with 210 mg morphine at 10 min before milking and the next day with 210 mg naloxone at 15 min before milking followed by 210 mg morphine at 10 min before milking. In addition, four other cows were treated 1 d after the control milking with 210 mg naloxone at 10 min before milking. Pretreatment with morphine significantly suppressed the machine milking-induced increase of cortisol in blood plasma as compared with controls. Naloxone pretreatment overcame the inhibitory effect of morphine and elevated milking-induced cortisol concentrations. Naloxone administration alone significantly increased cortisol concentration resulting from milking as compared with controls. However, ACTH concentrations did not change in either control or treated animals, suggesting an ACTH-independent release mechanism for cortisol during milking. We conclude that the release of cortisol in response to machine milking seems to be modulated by endogenous opioids at the adrenal level and does not appear to be under the control of ACTH.

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Inhibition of oxytocin release and milk let-down in postpartum primiparous cows is not abolished by naloxone

Journal of Dairy Research ◽

10.1017/s0022029901005167 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 68 (4) ◽

pp. 559-568 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

WOLF-DIETER KRAETZL ◽

VLADIMIR TANCIN ◽

DIETER SCHAMS

Keyword(s):

Post Partum ◽

Endogenous Opioids ◽

Opioid Antagonist ◽

Milk Ejection ◽

Brown Swiss ◽

Machine Milking ◽

Oxytocin Release ◽

Naloxone Treatment ◽

Vaginal Stimulation

About 10% of primiparous cows have no milk ejection during the first milkings after delivery. Therefore, 17 Brown Swiss dairy cows in their first lactation were used to evaluate the extent of disturbed milk let-down and the corresponding oxytocin (OT) plasma values in the 1st 5 days after delivery. The first milking was 9–22 h after parturition and served for classification of the cows to groups with inhibited (INH), bimodal (BIMO) or normal (NOR) milk let-down. The OT plasma levels before the start of manual teat stimulation and machine milking were comparably high during the first milking especially in NOR and BIMO cows. Ten minutes before the second milking (M2), 300 mg of the opioid antagonist naloxone was injected to test whether the disturbance was affected by the action of endogenous opioids on the neurohypophysis. The milk yield was not influenced by the naloxone treatment, and the INH cows had milk ejection only after a vaginal stimulation. Afterwards, the cows were milked twice every day, until the milk let-down and the OT release were unaffected (equal to control milking). Then, at the next milking, the cows were injected with 300 mg morphine 10 min before milking. The central OT release in response to manual teat stimulation and machine milking was completely blocked in all cows, but a vaginal stimulation was able to abolish this block, at least partially, in 16 cows. Thus, morphine produced a milk let-down characteristic as in the INH cows during the first three milkings. For the following milking, the cows were pre-treated with 300 mg naloxone (−15 min) plus 300 mg morphine (−10 min) before milking. The OT release and the milk yields were unaffected when compared with the control milking. This experiment demonstrates that exogenous opioids can affect the central release of OT in a naloxone-reversible manner even very soon after parturition. However, endogenous opioids are probably not the main mediators of disturbed central OT release and alveolar milk ejection in post-partum primiparous cows.

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The effect of morphine and naloxone on the release of prolactin during machine milking in dairy cows

Journal of Dairy Research ◽

10.1017/s002202990300623x ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 70 (3) ◽

pp. 277-282 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Vladimír Tančin ◽

Dieter Schams ◽

Wolf-Dieter Kraetzl

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Opioid Antagonist ◽

Related Effect ◽

Brown Swiss ◽

Machine Milking

The aim of the study was to determine the role of opioids modulating the release of prolactin (PRL) in response to milking in sixteen Brown-Swiss dairy cows. Two experiments were carried out to measure the dose-related effect of morphine and the effect of the opioid antagonist naloxone (NAL), with or without morphine. In the first experiment, six cows were injected (via catheter) on 3 consecutive days after the control milking (0 mg) with 21, 70 and 210 mg morphine-HCl 10 min before the start of the morning milking. The second experiment was divided into two parts. In the first part, four cows were injected after control morning milking with 210 mg morphine, 10 min before the start of the following morning milking. This was followed on the next day by an application of 210 mg NAL (15 min before the start of milking) and 210 mg morphine. In the second part, after control milking for 1 d, six cows were injected with 210 mg NAL 10 min before milking. Morphine at the highest dose tended to stimulate basal PRL levels in the first and second experiments (P<0·10). PRL increased in response to machine milking but morphine did not stimulate its release further. NAL alone, or when given with morphine did not influence the release of PRL in response to machine milking. However, NAL was effective in suppressing the increase in basal levels of PRL caused by morphine. In conclusion, although morphine tended to stimulate basal levels of PRL before milking, the release of PRL during milking seemed not to be regulated by opioids.

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Effects of frequent machine milking and suckling in early lactation on blood plasma ion homoeostasis in high-yielding dairy cows

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s0021859697004681 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 129 (2) ◽

pp. 237-242

Author(s):

U. BAR-PELED ◽

E. MALTZ ◽

H. TAGARI ◽

A.-R. LEHRER ◽

B. ROBINZON ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Plasma ◽

Dairy Cows ◽

Plasma Concentrations ◽

Plasma Osmolality ◽

Ion Concentration ◽

Early Lactation ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Ion Concentrations ◽

Machine Milking ◽

Monovalent Ion

Groups of nine or ten cows were assigned, after calving, to treatments in which they were (i) machine milked three times daily (M3), (ii) machine milked six times daily (M6) or (iii) suckled three times daily in addition to being machine milked three times daily (S). Treatments were administered during the first 6 weeks postpartum. On one day, at weeks 1 and 6 postpartum, blood samples were collected from all cows at 30-min intervals between 06.00 and 13.00 h and these were analysed for plasma osmolality and plasma concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl−. Milk yield was significantly higher in suckled cows than in cows milked six times daily, but significantly lower in cows milked three times daily. In cows milked six times daily, and to a greater extent in suckled cows, there was a reduction in plasma osmolality and monovalent ion concentrations (Na+, K+ and Cl−), which could increase the susceptibility of the cows to water intoxication. Moreover, suckling or milking the cows six times daily was associated with increased fluctuations in plasma osmolality and plasma Cl− concentrations. The decrease in plasma osmolality and ion concentration and the increased variation in plasma osmolality and Cl− were probably related to increased water intake and may be indicative of a severe challenge to homoeostasis regulation.

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Release of oxytocin, prolactin and cortisol in response to extraordinary suckling

Veterinární Medicína ◽

10.17221/7850-vetmed ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 46 (No. 2) ◽

pp. 41-45

Author(s):

V. Tančin ◽

D. Schams ◽

W.-D. Kraetzl ◽

J. Mačuhová ◽

R.M. Bruckmaier

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Postpartum Period ◽

Experimental Period ◽

Slow Increase ◽

Brown Swiss ◽

Machine Milking ◽

Oxytocin Release

The aim of this trial was to clarify whether suckling after several weeks of only machine milking can affect the release of oxytocin, cortisol and prolactin in dairy cows. In total twelve Brown Swiss cows on their first to third lactation were used. Pre-experimental period: all cows were suckled three times daily (9.00, 14.00 and 20.00) and milked twice daily (7.00 and 17.30) in tie housing during the first 5 days postpartum. Afterwards the calves were separated and moved to another building. The cows were moved to loose housing and milked in the dairy parlour within the same stable. Experimental period: after four weeks of only machine milking twice daily, cows were relocated from the herd to the same place as they were housed and milked during their postpartum period. The cows were again suckled on day 3 and 4 after relocation at the same time as above. Oxytocin, cortisol and prolactin levels were evaluated during the first suckling on day 3 (9.00) and during suckling at the same time next day (4th suckling) after relocation. Oxytocin secretion was clearly inhibited in all cows during the first five minutes of suckling with tendency of slow increase during the next minutes of suckling (suckling lasted about 10 min) except for two primiparous cows showing an increase of oxytocin release from the first minute of suckling. The release of oxytocin in response to the 4th suckling significantly increased immediately after start of suckling. Both, cortisol and prolactin significantly increased in response to all sucklings. There were significantly higher prolactin and lower cortisol values during the first suckling as compared with the fourth suckling in primiparous but not in multiparous cows.

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Method of high frequency therapy at cows' mastitis during machine milking

Veterinaria Kubani ◽

10.33861/2071-8020-2020-2-9-12 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 9-12

Author(s):

Viktor E. Lyubimov ◽

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cows ◽

Electromagnetic Fields ◽

High Frequency ◽

High Efficiency ◽

Environmentally Friendly ◽

Ultrahigh Frequency ◽

Machine Milking ◽

High Frequency Electromagnetic Field ◽

Milking Machine ◽

Methods Of Treatment

Health of dairy cows ensures human health, so it is important that dairy products do not contain antibiotics that are used to treat any inflammation, including mastitis. In Russia at present, the problem of mastitis in cows exists with both attached and loose housing of cows. Mastitis of dairy cows are the great problem in milking husbandry. Losses from mastitis in milk yield can reach 15-20%. The main reasons for the occurrence of nonspecific mastitis of cows are the shortcomings of the working components of the milking machine: the degree of deterioration of the nipple rubber and the violation of machine milking technology (the reduction in pre-milking time and vacuum fluctuations account for 70% of all causes). Treatment of mastitis with antibiotics is effective, but not environmentally friendly and unacceptable. For the treatment of inflammation of the udder, it is necessary to use more environmentally friendly methods of treatment, one of which is the exposure to ultra-high frequency electromagnetic field tested by medicine. Use of three types of medical-mobile milking machines with the same method of exposure to ultrahigh-frequency electromagnetic fields on cow's nipples through electrodes in milking cups: LPDA-1-UHF, LPDA-2-UHF and LPDA-UHF-30 M, is described in the article. Author proved that cows with subclinical forms of mastitis recovered faster during milking with exposure to the ultrahigh frequency than when treated by antibiotics, and milking with the ultrahigh frequency device helps to recover 82% of the affected quarters with clinical forms and 100% of cows with subclinical forms of mastitis or with udder irritation. The high efficiency of the method of exposure to electromagnetic fields of the ultrahigh frequency during machine milking by means of medical-mobile milking machines LPDA-UHF for the prevention and treatment of mastitis of cows was shown.

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