Effects of Blindfolding on Behaviour and Heart Rate in Beef Cattle During Restraint Large Animal Clinical Sciences Western College of Veterinary Medicine INTRODUCTION Restriction of an animal’s visual field by means of a blindfold or hood has been suggested for use during the handling and restraint of many wild and captive animals (Fig. 1) (Fowler, 1995). The practice of using blindfolds on cattle is not uncommon (Ewbanks, 2000) (Fig. 2) and the use of a black box has been reported to have a calming effect on cattle (Grandin, 2000), but no data has ever been presented to verify that cattle are indeed calmer during a procedure if a blindfold is used. MATERIALS and METHODS 60 beef heifers were randomly assigned to visual restriction (Blindfold) (n=30) or no visual restriction (Control) (n=30) during a 4 day trial to determine the effects during restraint (Fig. 3a and 3b). Measurements were taken each day during a baseline period and a 1 minute period of restraint with handling/touching the animal. Touching involved 2 people on opposite sides of the animal, simultaneously approaching the animal at 15 sec into the restraint period and grabbing the ear, poking the neck, side and rump in a mock “ear tagging, vaccinating and prodding” procedure. QUESTION Does blindfolding cattle during restraint have a calming effect? Fig.1 Examples of blindfolds and hoods used during handling and restraint in raptors, domestic elk and a cat. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Funding for this research was provided by the Interprovincial Summer Student Research Project Fund and the Saskatchewan Agricultural Development Strategic Fund. K.D. Mitchell, J.M. Stookey, D.K. Laturnas, J.M. Watts, D.B. Haley and T. Hudye Fig. 2 An example of a blindfold being used on a bovine during a surgical procedure Fig. 3a. Blindfolded heifer during restraint. Fig. 3b Control heifer during restraint. MATERIALS and METHODS (continued) Exertion Force measurements: Strain gauges were attached to the head gate to measure the animal’s struggle. Signals from strain gauges (Fig. 5) were digitized and used to determine the average and maximum exertion forces made by the heifers during restraint. Fig.5 Example of strain gauge signal from heifer showing the maximum exertion force against head gate occurring at roughly 12 sec during the restraint. Pre Heart Rate Blindfold or Control Touching starts Touching ends End 15 sec Post Heart Rate Pre-TouchTouchPost-Touch Fig. 4. Heart rate was measured via telemetry system during times indicated above. Statistical analysis: The association between treatment, sample time (day 0 to 4), animal weight and the various outcome measures were analyzed using a generalized estimating equations (GEE) method to account for the repeated measures design. Variables remaining in the final multivariate model at P<0.05, based on the robust empirical standard errors produced by GEE analysis, were considered statistically significant. RESULTS Max. force Fig. 6a. Mean heart rate of blindfolded and control heifers during 1 minute period of restraint (P=.64). Fig. 6b. The average decrease in heart rate for blindfolded and control heifers during 1 min period of restraint (P =.10). Fig. 7a. Mean exertion force applied against the head gate by blindfolded and control heifers during 1 min period of restraint (P<.05). Fig. 7b. Maximum force exerted against the head gate by blindfolded and control heifers during 1 minute period of restraint (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS 1)We have demonstrated that there is a positive behavioural and physiological response to blindfolding beef cattle during restraint. 2)Heart rate tends to decrease during restraint for blindfolded animals. A larger sample size may reveal stronger evidence for this response. 3)Blindfolded animals struggle less against the head gate during restraint compared to controls. 4)We recommend cattle be blindfolded for invasive procedures that require prolonged restraint. University of Saskatchewan