Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover Vergleichende Studie zur

Publikation 2
estimations to determine antinociceptive effects, but do not accurately reflect surgical
manipulation, as the endocrine response with release of vasoactive substances
occurs in proportion to the operative trauma (Traynor & Hall 1981; Goldkuhl et al.
2010).
The aim of this study was to compare analgesic quality and cardiopulmonary impact
of three anaesthetical regimes (inhalation anaesthesia, injection anaesthesia and
high volume caudal epidural anaesthesia) for umbilical surgery in calves. To simulate
authentic conditions, a multimodal approach to pain management was chosen
(anaesthesia plus local infiltration of the umbilical area as well as pre-emptive NSAID
application) and calves underwent an actual surgical intervention.
Materials and methods
Animals
Thirty healthy German Holstein calves (7 female, 23 male) with an average age
(mean ± SD) of 45.9 ± 6.4 (range 36 - 59) days and body weight (BW) of 66.1 ± 6.2
(range 57.0 – 83.5) kg were included in this study. The study was conducted under
the guidelines and ethical review of the Research Animal Act of the Lower Saxony
Federal State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (research permit
number 33.9-42502-04-08/1572).
Calves were housed in individual pens on straw bedding, were fed milk (10 % of
BW per day) divided into four feedings and had free access to hay, calf starter and
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