Acknowledgements Book of abstracts - Publicaties - Vlaanderen.be

92
Poster 20
Jim Webster presents Poster 20 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 1: Development, validation and automated measurements of indicators of animal welfare
NON-INVASIVE DETECTION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF AUTONOMIC
RESPONSES TO PAIN IN CATTLE
J.R. Webster 1 , M Stewart 1 , A.L. Schaefer 2 , K.J. Stafford 3
1 AgResearch Ltd, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand
2 Agriculture, Agri-Food Canada, 6000 C & Trail, Lacombe, Alberta, Canada
3 Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity is seldom used to study pain in cattle, as measurement is
difficult and costly. We tested a novel combination of eye temperature (ET) and heart rate
variability (HRV) to non-invasively detect pain-related ANS activity and its practical use is
described in a related abstract. Infrared thermography detects heat emitted from superficial
capillaries around the eye as blood flow is regulated under ANS control. ET drops rapidly and HRV
indicators of elevated sympathetic tone (increased low/high frequency ratio) during the first 5 min
after disbudding, which is followed by an increase in ET. A fall in ET was also found after an
electric prod or a fright. This study aimed to confirm the role of the ANS in ET responses.
Surgical castration (SC, n=6) or sham handling (n=8) and saline (n=8) or epinephrine infusion (EPI,
n=8, 4 µg /kg/min) effects on ET and cardiac responses were examined in calves. ET and cardiac
measurements were recorded continuously and blood samples collected via jugular catheter for
catecholamine measurement.
During the first 2 min following SC a small drop in ET coincided with increased catecholamines
(p