Tongue rolling stereotypy in cattle – etiological, epidemiological and clinical investigations

Abstract

The present studies were carried out to establish the causes for appearance, prevalence, age- and sex-related features, the frequency and 24-hour pattern of clinical signs accompanying the tongue rolling stereotypy in cattle. The animals were distributed in 2 groups: group I (n=1055) – control animals that did not demonstrate the tongue play orosthenic syndrome and group II (n=48) – cattle manifesting this stereotypy. Both groups were uniform with regard to age, breed, body condition and sex. They were placed under equal housing conditions (animal hygiene parameters, feed quantity and quality) and activity regimens (walks, feeding etc.). It was found out that the causes for demonstration of the tongue rolling hyperactivity in cattle were the deprivation from food and boredom, due to deficiency of environmental stimuli. The studied stereotypy was observed in cattle in different age groups – suckling and weaned calves, as well as heifers, including pregnant ones. The tongue play activity was no longer exhibited by heifers after calving and moving into the basic herd of lactating cows. The highest intensity (up to 80%) of this orosthenic syndrome was manifested before the morning feeding, between 9.00 and 12.00 AM. Most commonly, the tongue rolling activity was found out in heifers between 13 to 25 months of age. The studied oral stereotypy was not accompanied with changes in measured clinical parameters – rectal body temperature, pulse and respiratory rates, rumen movements, as well as in other activities e.g. rumination, eructation, appetite, sentience, locomotion etc.