The impact of clamp castration on the behaviour and body temperature of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) – Effects of local anesthesia and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Yearly, 2500–4000 reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) bulls are castrated in Finland, mostly without pain alleviation. No previous research exists concerning pain-related behaviours during castration reindeer. Our aims were to investigate the effects of Burdizzo clamp on behaviour and rectal temperature procedure, how these affected by handling, local anaesthesia (LA) with lidocaine, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drug meloxicam. A total 44 1.5-year-old-reindeer either no alleviation (TRAD), perioperative meloxicam (NSAID), lidocaine (LA), or combination LA NSAID (LA+NSAID), n = 11 each treatment group. The fifth group was non-castrated control (CONTROL), 11. We scored behaviours, i.e., head, neck, leg movements, nostril closure, panting, defecation, abdominal muscle contractions, respiratory rate, from video recordings prior injection. measured temperatures (T) experiment number reaching T at least 39.5ºC. Differences between treatments analysed Kruskal-Wallis chi square tests differences sampling intervals Wilcoxon signed rank Friedman tests. During castration, closures contractions occurred more often for longer duration TRAD, NSAID, LA, LA+NSAID groups than CONTROL (p < 0.05 all) 0.001 all). increased all treatments. Overall, 25 animals reached 39.5ºC differed 0.05): larger (11/11) TRAD (2/10), (3/11), (4/11), (5/11) groups. median rates decreased overall had highest differing (38(40) vs. 32(20) breaths per min, 10 11, respectively, p 0.003). Reindeer appear express closing their nostrils contracting muscles. Local failed significantly reduce 5-minute effect time used this study. Moreover, long handling reindeer, especially when combined other stressors such as injecting NSAIDs.