Beef cattle behavior in integrated crop-livestock systems

ABSTRACT: Temperament often depends on the animals’ reaction to people, social and environmental conditions. However, little is known about the influence of changes in the pasture environment on cattle temperament. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate if an animals’ temperament changes in response to being kept in a silvopastoral system. This study evaluated the effect of the tree components in a pasture environment on the temperament of any grazing cattle in integrated crop-livestock systems. A total of thirty-two Angus steers were allocated to either a livestock (L) or livestock-forest (LF) system and observed from December 2019 to February 2020. Each animal was evaluated for their reactivity score, flight speed, and number of vocalizations. The statistical model established that the animals were random effects and that the treatments and periods were fixed effects using the MIXED procedure, and the means were compared using LSMeans. The flight speed and number of vocalizations were similar in both production systems, while the reactivity score was lower for animals kept in the LF system when compared to those in the L system. This suggested that the LF system interferes positively with the animal’s temperament in relation to the L production system. However, additional research is needed to understand the influence of the production system on animal temperament.

Evaluation of the time to desensitization of the larynx of cats following topical lidocaine application

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the time to decreased reactivity of the arytenoid cartilages in cats after application of topical lidocaine. Methods One hundred and ten mixed-breed cats were randomly assigned to one of five groups based on the time between application of lidocaine and stimulation of the larynx: 5 (T5), 15 (T15), 30 (T30), 45 (T45) or 60 (T60) s. Cats were premedicated with dexmedetomidine, ketamine and buprenorphine. Anesthesia was induced with propofol to effect. Lidocaine 2% (2 mg/kg) was applied topically to the vocal cords using a catheter attached to a syringe under direct laryngoscopy. After lidocaine application, the designated time elapsed and the vocal cords were stimulated with the patient end of an endotracheal tube. Severity of reaction was reported as none, mild, moderate or severe. All cats were intubated after the reactivity score was recorded. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and 100% oxygen while cats were spayed or neutered. Cats were monitored in recovery for signs of respiratory complications and pain. Results There was a significant difference in overall reactivity score between T5 and T45 ( P = 0.0038). Also, there was a significant difference in the number of cats with no reaction compared with cats with any reaction between T5 and T30 ( P = 0.03), as well as between T5 and T45 ( P = 0.0028). No cat had a severe reactivity score at T45 or T60. All cats were successfully intubated. There were no complications during intubation, maintenance of anesthesia or recovery. Conclusions and relevance As the lowest overall reactivity score occurred at T45, it is recommended to wait at least 45 s after application of topical lidocaine before attempting tracheal intubation.

The Glasgow Coma Scale Pupils score: a nurse's perspective

The Glasgow Coma Scale Pupils (GCS–P) score is calibrated from 1 to 15 and is calculated by subtracting the patient's pupil reactivity score (PRS) from their Glasgow Coma Scale score. The additional clinical information gained from the patient's PRS (0–2) enables practitioners to access a more qualitative framework to facilitate discussion of predictive information with families regarding the patient's potential for recovery or good outcome following a severe brain injury.

Frequent handling of grazing beef cattle maintained under the rotational stocking method improves temperament over time

Our aims were to assess the effects of handling frequency on temperament evolution in cattle kept under rotational stocking method (RSM), as well as to compare the temperament of animals maintained under rotational versus alternate stocking (ASM) methods. We evaluated 4256 males raised on pasture from four private properties (Farms 1–4), for a total of 9628 observations. The study was divided into two complementary approaches. In the first one, monthly visits were conducted at 35-day intervals to assess the cattle temperament (n = 1979) raised on grazing system using RSM, while, in the second approach, we evaluated the temperament of cattle (n = 3600) kept under two different stocking methods, namely, (1) RSM (n = 2007), characterised by a high frequency of animal handling and a 4-day grazing period, and (2) ASM (n = 1593), characterised by a low frequency of handling and a 20-day grazing period. Composite reactivity score (RS), and flight speed (FS) were considered as temperament indicators. Reductions of RS and FS means were observed during successive assessments under RSM. Significant effects of stocking method on FS (P < 0.05) and RS (P < 0.01) were found, with lower FS and RS means for animals under RSM than for those under ASM. In conclusion, the frequent handling in the rotational stocking method favoured the improvement of cattle temperament over time, with lower levels of reactivity among cattle raised under this stocking method than with animals raised under the alternate stocking method.

Behavioural and physiological assessment of stress reactions during vaginal examination in dairy cows

Summary Objectives and aim: The objective of this study was to determine the origin of an arched back in cows during vaginal examination. Moreover, we tested whether the duration of an arched back and avoidance reactions during vaginal examination can be decreased by epidural anaesthesia or analgesic treatment. Material and methods: Behaviour during cleaning of the perivaginal region and during vaginal examination was scored using the avoidance reactivity score (ARS). Heart rate (HR) was recorded in 10 dairy cows considering four experimental phases, i.e. baseline, cleaning the perivaginal region, vaginal examination and post-examination. Each cow was examined three times and received no treatment (CON), an epidural anaesthesia (EPID) or an analgesic treatment (NSAID). The duration of an arched back during and post-examination was measured. Results: The expression of the arched back was shortest in cows of group EPID and longest in cows of group CON. Avoidance reactions did not differ between the cleaning phase and vaginal examination in cows of group EPID. Cows of group CON showed the strongest avoidance reactions during examination, whereas cows of group EPID showed least avoidance reactions. Mean HR increased during cleaning and vaginal examination and decreased post-examination. Mean HR during vaginal examination did not differ between treatment groups. Conclusion: The results show that cows express discomfort during vaginal examination with an increase in avoidance reactions and HR. Although epidural anaesthesia could reduce sensitivity in the perivaginal region, cows still felt the urge to empty the vagina from the examiner’s hand and, thus, were arching their back. Clinical relevance: In practice, routine vaginal examinations in dairy cows have not been considered as invasive examinations. Our results show that vaginal examinations indeed do cause discomfort. We do not suggest the application of any anaesthetic treatment as appropriate before routine vaginal examinations. None theless, the examiner should be aware of the stress potential of vaginal examinations and conduct such examinations most carefully.