ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN IN THE BOVINE ANIMAL

[SADIE]

Dr. Nigel Caulkett DVM, MVETSC< DIPL, ACVA University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine.

WCVM/SVMA CONFERENCE----Speaker on Local Anesthesia & Analgesia in Cattle.

Great discussion on how the public and consumer has concerns on how our beef is raised.

This group does research on measuring what proceedures etc cause pain in the beef industry.

Acute Pain--Branding, Applying an (1) eartag, castration (Older animal) without analgesia---were all top of that list.

Chronic Pain--chronic poor doers.

Work is now being done by a group in the US. Comparing groups of calves that are vaccinated in the neck with 2 mls of Clostridial vs 5 mls and observing chronic differences in pain in regards to "tissue swelling".

I posted this because this is the type of "in depth study the veterinary field is bringing forward to Large Animal Practicioners that are in the field being your veterinarians.

There was about 40 practicioners from across Western Canada along with CFIA veterinarians in the room.

Two Huge discussions resulted.

Q.Could this group in Calgary do a study on the Cow Calf operator--(not feedlot) on animal behaviour on Multiple ear tagging is applied to the same groups of animals over a 5 yr time line. The facilities have to be 'economincal"---non-hydraulic chute.

Definate Pain is induced to an animal and it is "In Memory" when one applies the same proceedure a second, third and more times.

Huge discussion from animals with ripped ears, bleeding, non reluctant to feed into facilities, down allies and into chute. This is with all ear tags
Fly tags, ID tags,RFID. Bellering, animals flipping around in chute headgate when operator tries to examine the ears on some of these animals.

A machine is avaliable to try to register different types of pain ALGOMETRY.

Personnal injury stories came from around the room. Broken wrists to applicators, Cows heads hitting producers in face to the severe case of operator thrown back and cracking his vertebrae--now in wheel chair.

Around the room comments arose that there will be "footage" on camera captured.

General comment from speaker is

If any proceedure looks painful to the observer (person) that that proceedure is also painful to that animal.

This is the type of discussion that go on at Veterinary meetings. The group on Agriville are a very knowledgeable group of producers. What happens aat the veterinary level soon filters/If it hasn't already or even begins at the grassroots cattlemen's level.

CFIA present even commented that because of some apparent problems with quality of RFID eartags and retention and multiple tagging that there is real grounds of "animal cruelity". A one-time branding iron --does not give individual animal ID ---really is less painful that what is apparently coming to the forefront on RFID tagging issues.

Q. What about Re-tagging an adult bison aanimal??? The speaker who has worked wwith exotic species--commented and it went around the room rapidly---Who wants to apply the first tag to that species let alone another tag.

The hearing on Nov 12 in Saskatoon has the bison producer from Conguest defending himself. I am on the EXPERT WITNESS LIST for his defence. CFIA veterinarian in that room heard this discussion and will be at that hearing.




There appears to be an interest for further discussion of this nature on animal behavior at the upcoming Canadian Bovine Practioners meeting in JJanuary 2011.

[grassfarmer]

Just tag the calves as day olds and tag them right and you won't have problems. Branding being more welfare friendly than tagging - come on who are you kidding?
Better pass that snippet onto HT so he can move a resolution at his ABP meeting to push for mandatory hot iron branding - let's face it it's got to be mandatory or it's no system at all.

[SADIE]

grasshopper

The point about tagging the calves very young was brought up by one veterinarian now 25 years in the field.

You can do all the proceedures to a young animal a birth or in the cradle a little later. Give vaccinations, ring a bull calf, implant (ir done),and the calf shows no pain. Apply a hot iron in the calf cradle----they beller and apply the hard RFID eartag in the ear they beller.

Those same comments have come in from another veterinarian who has now teached at a college after his 25 years in large animal practice *Wainwright Alberta area" graduated with distinction from WCVM the Class of 1969.

This specific problem will be properly documented and come forward.

This same veterinarian who has taught over 15 years to technicians preparing them to go out in the work force has written papers about "Safety" and now increase in insurance costs needed having students working around the adult bovine during the retagging proceedures now marketly necessitated with the onset of the RFID eartagging.

[smcgrath76]

GF - the day old approach doesn't always
work. As for branding, I agree, unless it
is mandatory and done properly then it is
not a functional traceability system.

[per]

Broken arms and tools are mostly a result of inexperience or complacency. Some cows will flip their head around just by holding the ear. That is not a pain centered reaction. As far as getting hit by the head of a restrained cow, inexperience or complacency. My Vet is also a training Vet and he brings out some accidents waiting to happen once in a while. Also had a discussion with him about going back into the same hole retagging. He agrees with me in that unless it is infected or too big it is the correct place to re tag. No more pain caused. I also recommend an auto retract tagging gun. Your hand is out of there before she reacts.

[PureCountry]

I am amazed at how far some people are taking this fight. I personally haven't seen/met anyone with large numbers of lost tags. I've seen anywhere from 1-25 loads of one owner yearlings come into the Provost market straight off pasture or feed, and very few need retagging.

I agree with Per about an auto tagger. I understand they already use them in NZ/Australia, and they have long handles so the operator isn't even within reach of a swinging head.

I think we also must remain mindful of the numbers of cattle dealth with nowdays. When the population increases you're simply going to get more instances of injured cattle handlers with all of the so-called "protocols" we have now. As your bovine numbers increase, so does your staffing requirements and you end up hiring people who don't have alot of cattle sense - or sense at all. Feedlots are always struggling against the oilpatch to find good people, and they usually don't get the cream. Someone who gets their hand broken or what-have-you was probably somewhere they should not have been. As we used to say on the rigs for new recruits - "Don't put your hands anywhere you wouldn't put your ____" Crude, but good words to live by.

[Happytrails]

First an on topic comment. We hot iron brand calves at about 2 mo. of age and if their hair is dry and the irons are hot I tell the crew that 2 seconds is long enough. There is no doubt that a lot of hot iron brands are over done. Anyone who raises calves has seen the results and I'm sure does what they can to prevent it happening again. When they are branded right it amounts to only a few seconds of pain which is forgotten almost immediately.
To respond to SMC about a functioning traceability system I would like to point out that the ONLY system we presently have is based on brand inspection. I have seen letters from CFIA staff thanking LIS for their help in tracing cattle movements. To reject our brand based system because not all cattle are branded is overly utopian in my view. Sometimes even the lack of a brand has significance. And tags fall out so they fail by that measure also.
Actually I am beginning to think that any ID system that can't be read visually is doomed. Otherwise as soon as you have scanned 2 thru the chute confusion is possible. Regards, HT

[SADIE]

per--you bring out good points.

1)your vet telling you to use the same hole twice when you re-tag.---good safe advice but that is an "off label" instruction.

When a producer goes and mentions an experience with tag retention---like at the CCIA booth or each individual tag companies booth there first comment is "DID YOU FOLLOW ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS LISTED OUT BY THE TAG MANUFACTERING COMPANY?" Right pliers, right pin, use a new hole in ear, proper placement and did you dip the applicator with the Male button in disinfectant. etc.

CFIA inspectors on site "who only read instructions and applied a ear tag to a plastic ear module. Look for blood or a recent hole punched as they gather evidence when they see someone as possible being non-compliant.

Injuries to the workers around livestock. There is two avenues of thought here.

Experienced cattlemen have got nailed as much if not more than the inexperienced.

1)I hope a Ray Murphy now 60 years old from Bonnyville Alberta is making some progress with re-habilitation from his accident of Sept 2009. Trying to retag an animal wasn't wanting to go into chute or head gate for the re-tag.
Broken vertebrae in neck---wheelchair.

2)Consort/Provost area of 20 years in Veterinary Practice. Hadwin Ranches, Todd Ranches, Dumaresq Ranches, Cross Bar Ranches, Crisp Ranches, Worobo Ranches, Murphy ranches, Flecks, Shecks, Wyatt Swanson Ranches, Lyle Brost ranches, Kidd Ranches, Poplar Lodge Ranches,Lazy He Ranches----plus more have all seen injuries to the experienced workers-----they would come in to the two veterinary clinics I owned or part-owner and share their stories ---either showing their wounds or as veterinarians would make a visit to them in the hospitals.

The majority of injury was in the chutes and around the heavy head on the neck pendulum swinging around.

2)Owned and operated Rangeland (consort) for 19 years I have record of 87 employees I had work for many. Many were potential animal health tech, or veterinary "want to bes" or people wanting to go back to the ranch with some knowledge. We were fortunate not to have 1 workmancompensation claim.
Experienced the ins/outs of premiums to be paid in workplace like that.

Being the founding owner of the Border Vetrinary Clinic (owned 5 years) to get the "ball rolling" turing it over to a Brother and wife team. Again Dealt with business premiums and cost of disability and liability insurance coverages---again no claim.

Point being made that today veterinary clinics across Canada are totally being restructured. Large animal practice is on a "death spiral route" along with Large animal veterinarians.

Clinics surviving are those that are in areas of rural population that can focus more on the companion animals and closing down or limiting the large animal side. More and more clinics are now "stopping being the sales outlet of the RFID eartags also"---Too much hastle no profit---Gone.

Cost of insurance in Rural CLinics are skyrocketing when they mention they are a % bovine practice. Record after record of workmen comp or other claims on human injury around the bovine. The highest claims are being hit by the head of animal (Swinging pendulum)

Large animal bovine practicioners----It isnt if you get hurt it is "When". A new graduate veterinarian today cannot purchase a decent dissability policy at all any longer. Those that had large animal ambitions as soon as they are 1-2 years in practice become aware of this and ----small animal bound. WCVM graduates 70 per year and maybe 5-10 go into large animal practice. Most want and need longivity in that work-force and take the small animal companion animal.

Calgary Veterinary College--was a Knee-Jerk reaction to BSE in 2003. Thise was set up to put more Bovine Practicioners in the field. Once the DVM is obtained (that is the Key) those can jump-ship at any time and go the companion animal route.

I am involved with bringing the injury knowledge to new graduates and also in coaching veterinarians who have been injured with their disability claims and making the transition out of practice. I too am a crippled up person who has "walked the walk".

[SADIE]

Purecountry--

Spent many pre-auction days at that market and preg-checking into days and nights at that market till we got the Border Veterinary Clinic rolling and look at the business it is today. That is how Dry Land Land and Cattle got rolling and now ventured into majority owner of DryLand Trading in Veteran.

How far is this going to be taken?

Do you receive the Western Producer? Go have a coffee with Jerry Huston, Jack Lawes or is it Dean Lawes. Do you know Lyle Brost (buyer) or Ron Dumarsg. Ask about me??

Last weeks producer AGENCIES SILENT
ON EAR TAG RULING.

Both the CCIA and the CFIA has to undergo change to become more accountable and more transparent to all stakeholders---meaning the cattle producer, the practincing veterinary clinics.

The army is building ---it takes time.
Let the accidents, the incidences roll with time and it will happen.

Just listen to the Scottish singer Johnny Reid newest Canadian Country Hit.

Im Going to try to change the world
Im going take this one day at a time.

Purecountry---Your in a position that you do not see the real problems. Link yup to me through a Lyle Brost and I will give you the bigger picture in detail.

[SADIE]

correction---I had a few hours sleep.

"Today I'm going to try and change
the world.
Going to take it one day at a time
I've made my resolution
Opened up my eyes
Today I'm going to try to change
the world."

Great chorus to a great song. Will be usefull on a DVD (synchorization to appropriate pictures)

Applying an eartag to an animal is causing "ACUTE PAIN" which will going into that animals memory.

Another attempt of re-tagging if needed will result in some---memory.

Humane injuries will keep happening.

[per]

Sadie, you bring to mind a question. Who designs the protocol that becomes the "label" on how to tag? Interesting that it is a good idea when my Vet tells me so but a producer who has installed thousands of tags knows nothing of what he talks about.

While on the subject of tagging. A temporary stick-on tag would be very useful when replacing tags on animals going to slaughter. I know that won't go anywhere as I suggested it to the powers that be before. Also a plastic management dangle part would be nice. I have seen the prototype of such tags but can't find anyone to sell them to me. That would eliminate one hole and the associated pain and danger involved with it.

[PureCountry]

Sadie, I realize who you are, as I'm sure you know who I am. Since you seem to be looking for it, and deserve it, I want you to know that I acknowledge and respect the experience someone like you brings to any conversation. That said, you tend to dramatize your arguments and points a wee bit in my opinion. I do not want to hear about Mr. Murphy from Bonnyville or any long list of storied ranches in East Central Alberta. I've inspected cattle from most of the ones you listed.

This is still my opinion - I do not care if you are John Gattey on the Cross Bar or Lee Roworth on the Roworth-Cameron Ranch, or David Moss, CEO of LIS - if you've been hurt trying to tag a bovine, you put part of your body somewhere it ought not been. My Dad had his jaw broke and his top denture plate split and drove up into the roof of his mouth by a "swinging pendulum". I wasn't much help dragging him to the truck tog et him to the hospital cause I was only about 12, but the memory stuck. My Dad was the first to admit when he could think straight, that it all could have been avoided if he had haltered the cow.

The extra time spent applying a halter or even a neck rope is well worth it. And trust me, from where I'm at, I can see things just fine. I've roped cattle in an alley and snubbed them to a post in order to tag them - no injuries here either - alot less classy than a chute.

I really do not see the point in fighting the RFID tags on the basis of, "It causes undue pain and suffering to the animal." You've seen alot more stress on bovines than me in your experience - will you honestly try and tell me that re-tagging is more stressful than prodding up and down alleys and loading chutes, stock canes across the legs, back and head over and over again, or being slammed with gates and doors? This stuff happens every day across Alberta in auction markets and feedlots.

Even if I was to agree with you on the number of tags lost and the falicy being on the shoulders of the tags, the more I see the way animals are routinely treated, the less inclined I am to agree with you that retagging is a detriment to the industry.

I guess my point is that for someone of your stature to take up a flag and crusade on behalf of something is great, however I feel that your time could be better directed to other issues that would go alot farther in the fight for animal welfare or workplace safety in the beef industry. THat's just my opinion, don't let it offend you.

[Happytrails]

PC I hope you also advise the CFIA to drop their persecution of cattlemen and use their resources more productively.

[smcgrath76]

I think the RFID tags are a reasonable
solution for traceability, and yes for
the purpose intended I believe they are
better than a brand. I believe a brand
is a better form of ID at an auction
market, or from the back of a horse.
I think we have missed the boat
regarding management opportunities with
the tag and over time we should move to
DNA.
I think some common sense with the
regulations and enforcement would be
beneficial. We are not in Europe, do
not receive the same degree/type of
funding and are dealing with a
significantly different
topographical/scale challenge in many
cases.
If we are serious about pursuing
markets, then we need a functional
traceability system that can be
electronic and automated. That said,
again some common sense is in order as
far as charging people under the act,
and/or cost sharing the program.
As well, I know there are cases where
defective tags are sold, and there needs
to be a method of dealing with these.
For the purposes, I don't see a better
alternative to RFID tags at the moment,
however I do see the need for some
semblance of common sense at all levels
of enforcement.

[PureCountry]

HappyTrails said - PC I hope you also advise the CFIA to drop their persecution of cattlemen and use their resources more productively.

Touche. I agree 100%. The few CFIA staff I have met have not made a significant impression on me, although admittedly, it has only been a few field staff. Some of these stories coming out about confrontations between CFIA and producers sound like witch hunts, and make me wonder what both sides of the story would sound like if told face to face.

I myself have been a little overzealous in confronting a producer a time or 2 about paperwork and proof of ownership, and luckily have always had a more experienced Inspector present to smooth things over. I've been on the other end of it too, from the perspective of a producer when taking an animal to an abbattoir. We always hope cooler heads will prevail, however there is a gap between hope and reality when people forget the common goal and/or greater good.