<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Dehorning of calves is intended to facilitate handling and increase the safety of people and animals. The study aimed to review the methods of calf dehorning and use of pharmacological analgesic, anaesthetic and sedation drugs, as well as their impact on pain perception. Regardless of the age of calves, dehorning is always associated with pain and stress. The changes in behaviour, physiological parameters, changes in heart rate, respiratory rate and increased cortisol secretion are observed during this procedure. The welfare of calves is significantly reduced during dehorning. Many studies point to minimization of the pain perceived by the use of pharmacological agents. Beneficial effects were observed with the combined use of anaesthetics and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs</p></abstract>

Dehorning of calves is intended to facilitate handling and increase the safety of people and animals. The study aimed to review the methods of calf dehorning and use of pharmacological analgesic, anaesthetic and sedation drugs, as well as their impact on pain perception. Regardless of the age of calves, dehorning is always associated with pain and stress. The changes in behaviour, physiological parameters, changes in heart rate, respiratory rate and increased cortisol secretion are observed during this procedure. The welfare of calves is significantly reduced during dehorning. Many studies point to minimization of the pain perceived by the use of pharmacological agents. Beneficial effects were observed with the combined use of anaesthetics and non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs

Dehorning of Calves – Methods of Pain and Stress Alleviation – A Review

Department of Environmental Hygiene and Animal Welfare, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Chełmońskiego 38C, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland

Annals of Animal Science

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Dehorning of calves is intended to facilitate handling and increase the safety of people and animals. The study aimed to review the methods of calf dehorning...

Dehorning of Calves – Methods of Pain and Stress Alleviation – A Review

Published Online: Apr 25, 2014

Page range: 231 - 243

Received: Oct 17, 2013

Accepted: Feb 13, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2014-0016

Keywords
calves, dehorning, stress, cortisol

© by Robert Kupczyński

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Dehorning of Calves – Methods of Pain and Stress Alleviation – A Review

Published Online: Apr 25, 2014

Page range: 231 - 243

Received: Oct 17, 2013

Accepted: Feb 13, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2014-0016

Keywordscalves, dehorning, stress, cortisol

© by Robert Kupczyński

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Keywords
calves, dehorning, stress, cortisol