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Horn removal is a common practice in U.S. dairy production, performed on the majority of farms to reduce risks of injury to animals and stockpersons. However, disbudding is a painful procedure, and pain mitigation strategies are especially limited in organic systems. Previous research has primarily focused on conventional methods of pain relief and the immediate impacts of disbudding, leaving gaps in knowledge regarding both the effectiveness of alternative pain relief methods for organic producers and the potential long-term consequences of horn removal on cow welfare.
This thesis investigates the welfare implications of disbudding within an organic dairy context. The first experiment evaluated the analgesic effects of willow bark compared to lidocaine in pre-weaned calves undergoing cautery disbudding. The second experiment evaluated the analgesic effects of willow bark and an herbal tincture in combination with lidocaine compared to lidocaine alone. Physiological (heart rate, salivary cortisol, ocular temperature) and behavioral (lying time, lying bouts) indicators were measured post-procedure. Neither herbal remedy provided meaningful analgesic effect beyond that achieved by lidocaine alone, emphasizing the urgent need for effective alternatives for organic production systems. The final pilot study compared dehorned and horned primiparous cows during the first week of lactation. Salivary cortisol, behaviors in the milking parlor, behaviors on pasture, and milk production were evaluated. Dehorned cows exhibited higher cortisol concentrations in the parlor during early lactation than non-dehorned cows, and behaviors in the milking parlor were similar between groups. These findings suggest that horn removal may have long-term impacts on dairy cattle welfare, but further research is needed.