Ian J.H. Duncan

Professor of Applied Ethology

Chair in Animal Welfare

University of Guelph

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

The Costs and Benefits of

Tail Docking Dairy Cows

History of Tail Docking Cows

Started in New Zealand in 1970s

Claimed that benefits included :-

• Better milk hygiene

• Improved udder health

• Improved milker health (Leptospirosis)

• Increased milker comfort

Spread to the U.S. in late 1980s

Spread to Canada in 1990s

History of Tail Docking Cows

But remember :

• Dairy cattle are outside year round in N. Z.

History of Tail Docking Cows

But remember :

• Dairy cattle are outside year round in N. Z.

• Manure is much thinner

• Very mucky winter conditions in N.Z.

• Now a vaccine for leptospirosis

Canadian conditions are very different – so some benefits of tail docking may not apply.

History of Tail Docking Cows

On the other hand, the introduction of parallel parlours means that operator is at risk of being hit across the face with faeces- and urine-soaked tail.

History of Tail Docking Cows

Some recent research at UBC (Dave Fraser,

Dan Weary) questions the hygiene benefits

of tail docking :-

• No difference in somatic cell count

• No difference in cleanliness of cows

(Tucker et al., 2001. J. Dairy Sci., 84: 84-87.)

Tail Docking Cows

So, many of the benefits of tail docking seem questionable.

What about the costs to the cow?

• Acute pain?

• Chronic pain?

• Increased sensitivity of the stump?

• Increased fly nuisance?

• Loss of social signalling?

Tail Docking Cows

BENEFITS COSTS

Tail Docking Cows

Hygiene? Cleanliness?

Unmeasured costs?

Tail Docking Sheep

Prevention of fly strike

Pain of docking

Tail Docking Pigs

Prevention of tail biting

Pain of docking

Tail Docking Cows

Hygiene? Cleanliness?

Pain? Fly nuisance?

Tail Docking Cows

University of Guelph Study

Measure the acute adverse effects of tail docking cows using rubber rings with and without epidural anaesthetic.

Lennoxville Study

Measure the acute adverse effects of tail docking calves using rubber rings or a hot docking iron.

University of Guelph Study

Methods

64, lactating, mixed-parity, Holstein cows, housed in a tie-stall barn were used.

• Docked with anaesthetic (RRA)

• Docked without anaesthetic (RR)

• Control with anaesthetic (CA)

• Control without anaesthetic (C)

Four trials each with 16 cows

Docking done after morning milking

Different people to dock and to observe

Observations were done “blind”

Methods

Administration of epidural anaesthetic

Methods

Every cow in the study had its tail

bandaged . . .

Methods

. . . so that all observations were “blind”

Methods

After 7 days the lower tail was cut off

Methods

We measured on a daily basis :-

• Feed intake

• Milk production

• Somatic cell count

Tried to measure stress via saliva sampling (but this was unsuccessful)

Methods

We observed cows (especially behaviour likely to indicate pain) very intensively on first day and regularly over first week.

• Postures and posture changes

• Time spent in various activities

• Vocalizations

• Foot stamps, head turns, etc.

• Respiration rate

Methods

No significant differences between treatments in :-

• Milk production

• Feed intake

• Somatic cell count

• Respiration rate

Results

Results

No significant differences between treatments in :-

• Postures or posture changes

• Time spent standing or lying

• Time spent ruminating

• Vocalizations

• Foot stamps, head turns, etc.

Results

There were some differences in tail shaking and tail position :-

Tail Pressed Against Body

05

101520253035404550

0 1 2 3 7Day

%

Tim

e

C

CA

RR

RRA

Results

Tail shaking: We think that tail shaking was prevented by the anaesthetic and the rubber ring.

Tail position: We think that the change in tail position following removal of the dead tissue is probably a mechanical effect and not due to pain.

Conclusions

Tail-docking cows using rubber rings has minimal acute effects :

• No acute pain or distress

• Not even signs of discomfort

• No point in giving an anaesthetic