Effect of knife castration on leukocyte cytokine expression and indicators of stress, pain, and inflammation in Korean cattle bull calves

Objective: This study investigated the effects of surgical castration on behavior, physiological and inflammatory indicators, and leukocyte cytokine mRNA levels in Korean cattle bull calves. Methods: Nineteen Korean cattle bull calves (average body weight, 254.5 kg; average age, 8.2 months) were divided into two treatment groups: control (n = 9) and castration (n = 10). Surgical castration was performed using Newberry knives and a Henderson castrating tool. Blood was obtained just before castration (0 h) and at 0.5 h, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d after castration. Plasma cortisol (PC), saliva cortisol (SC), plasma substance P, and plasma haptoglobin concentrations, and the leucocyte mRNA levels of the interleukin-1-alpha (IL1A), interleukin-1-beta (IL1B), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN), and interleukin-6 Results: Castration decreased (p<0.01) the average daily gain and gain/feed ratio. Castration reduced the time spent eating (p<0.001) and the eating frequency (p<0.01) and increased (p<0.001) the lying frequency. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) circulating PC and SC concentrations at 0.5 h after castration. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) plasma substance P concentrations at 1 d after castration. Castration increased (p<0.05) plasma haptoglobin concentrations at 1 and 3 d after castration. Castration increased (p< 0.05) leukocyte mRNA levels of the IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, and IL6 genes at 6 h after castration. Conclusion: Castration temporarily induced stress and expression of leucocyte inflammatory cytokine genes in Korean cattle bull calves.

Automated summary

This study investigated the effects of surgical castration on Korean cattle bull calves. The results showed that castration decreased average daily gain and eating frequency, increased lying frequency, and temporarily increased cortisol and substance P concentrations. Castration also increased leukocyte mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokine genes. This suggests that castration induces stress and inflammatory response in Korean cattle bull calves.