Abstract
The objective of the study was to determine the effect of routine intramuscular injection of oxytocin to induce milk ejection on behavior assessed in terms of stress and rectal temperature in crossbred cows (Bos indicus × Bos taurus) in the tropics of Veracruz, Mexico. Immediately after calving, cows were milked twice a day (n = 210) and randomly assigned to receive at each milking: 10 IU (0.5 mL) of oxytocin intramuscularly (n = 70); 0.5 mL of saline solution intramuscularly (n = 70); or no injection (n = 70). The following behavioral indicators of stress were observed: trampling, kicking, tail movement, failure to eat, jumping to avoid injection, vocalization, urination, and defecation. After milking, rectal temperature (RT) was measured. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and chi-square. There were no differences in terms of behavioral stress indicators or rectal temperature in cows injected with oxytocin or saline solution, but both groups had greater behavioral indicators of stress and RT compared with non-injected cows. Cows injected with oxytocin or saline solution manifested a higher percentage of animals that trampled (96.8%), kicked (32%), ceased eating (61.2%), moved the tail (81.2%), jumped (20.9%) and avoided the injection (78.2%), compared with non-injected cows. Cows injected with oxytocin and saline solution had higher rectal temperature (39.13±0.08 oC) compared with non-injected cows (38.96±0.12 oC). All injected cows had higher behavioral indicators of stress measurements and rectal temperature regardless of the solution, suggesting that cows injected routinely and intramuscularly do not become habituated to this, even though some cows were injected more than 600 times throughout lactation.
Highlights
In recent years, animal welfare has become a very important topic in the livestock context (Grandin, 2014; Santurtun and Phillips, 2015; Scholten et al, 2013)
Other behavioral stress indicators such as tail wagging, trampling, kicking, ceasing to eat, and jumping increased among cows injected with oxytocin and saline solution compared with non-injected cows (P
There was a treatment × parity interaction (P
Summary
Animal welfare has become a very important topic in the livestock context (Grandin, 2014; Santurtun and Phillips, 2015; Scholten et al, 2013). Several publications show that adequate animal welfare makes them more productive (Callejo, 2009; de Vries et al, 2011). Kielland et al (2010) found that farmers with empathy and a positive attitude towards livestock caused their dairy cows to manifest lower prevalence of skin lesions over the carpus. There are regions around the world where animal welfare is not an important issue for farmers. In developing countries in tropical regions, diverse production systems and lack of regulation lead to several problems such as poor animal welfare (McDermott et al, 2010). Milk production characteristics in these tropical regions are affected by local climate and economics: for instance, cattle with Bos indicus genetic influence abound due to their resistance to environmental conditions (Berman, 2011); owing to increasing demand for greater efficiency in livestock production, mechanical milking has increased exponentially and likewise exogenous application of oxytocin to induce milk ejection at milking (Bruckmaier et al, 1994; Garcez et al, 2013)
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