Quantitative assessment of physiological and behavioural parameters in healthy dairy cows evoked by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of the udder

Kirscher, Franziska; Bruckmaier, Rupert; Spadavecchia, Claudia; Friedli, Katharina; Doherr, Marcus G.; Syring, Claudia; Steiner, Adrian (2012). Quantitative assessment of physiological and behavioural parameters in healthy dairy cows evoked by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of the udder. Veterinary journal, 192(2), pp. 183-188. Amsterdam: Elsevier 10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.05.020

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The pain and distress associated with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) of the udder was evaluated by treating 20 healthy dairy cows with an electrical udder stimulator. This generated a sequence of pulses (frequency: 160+/-10% impulses per second, duration 250 mus) and provided voltage ranges from 0 to 10 volts (+/-10%). Trials took place on three consecutive days, twice daily after morning and evening milking. Daily sessions were divided into two periods: (1) control (sham treatment) and (2) treatment (real treatment). Physiological (heart rate, respiratory rate, and plasma cortisol concentration) as well as ethological parameters (kicking, weight shifting, and looking backwards to udder) were defined as pain-indicating parameters and observed. Evaluation of data showed that only one parameter (kicking) was significantly increased during real treatment compared to sham treatment. It is concluded that the TENS therapy tested in this study can evoke changes in behaviour (increased kicking) consistent with an experience of pain in some cows.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Veterinary Physiology
05 Veterinary Medicine > Research Foci > Veterinary Public Health / Herd Health Management
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV) > Clinic for Ruminants
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Veterinary Public Health Institute
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine (DKV) > DKV - Anaesthesiology

UniBE Contributor:

Bruckmaier, Rupert, Spadavecchia, Claudia, Doherr, Marcus, Syring, Claudia, Steiner, Adrian

Subjects:

600 Technology > 630 Agriculture

ISSN:

1090-0233

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Factscience Import

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2013 14:31

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 14:10

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.05.020

Web of Science ID:

000304630500012

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.12012

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/12012 (FactScience: 218283)

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