CORTISOL RESPONSES OF CALVES TO 2 METHODS OF TAIL DOCKING USED WITH OR WITHOUT LOCAL-ANESTHETIC

Tail docking of dairy cows to facilitate milking is carried out on cal ves or on heifers before calving. By monitoring changes in plasma cort isol concentrations, this study evaluated the distress in calves when docked by a rubber ring or docking iron (cautery) with or without loca l anaesthetic. The cortisol responses indicated that in most calves do cking using a rubber ring or docking iron was no more distressing than control handling and simulated docking. A small proportion of calves in control and tail docked groups exhibited larger cortisol responses, the magnitudes of which suggested that they experienced some mild dis tress. There was no detectable benefit with either method of docking w hen local anaesthetic was used. The rubber ring is the preferable meth od, as there was some haemorrhage after docking with the docking iron.