Managing stress in cattle
CattleZen is a different way to help maintain calm in cattle of all ages by addressing the brain’s perception of threat, not just the symptoms of stress, Norbrook advises.
HERD HEALTH SERIES: , veterinary adviser with Norbrook, offers essential advice on promoting herd health
In the natural world, an animal’s response to certain events that elicit fear or stress is valuable to survival and serves a legitimate purpose, for example, a calf’s ability to recognise and respond to predators is essential for avoiding danger in the wild.
We do our best to improve husbandry standards and care for our animals, but the nature of domestic livestock production also creates stressful events: abrupt weaning, mixing, handling, routine husbandry, and more.
These activate the brain’s threat processes to trigger the physiological fight- or-flight response. The downstream effect of which increases heart rate and energy metabolism. Sustained periods of stress are known to decrease feed intake, suppress the immune system, and lead to negative behaviour.
Most of us would instantly recognise some of these situations. Aggression or unpredictability when handling cattle or in cows post-calving can be dangerous to both livestock and handlers. Following weaning we often observe a check in weight gain and in some case more health issues.
Farmers often talk about cattle being ‘set back’ after transporting or mixing groups. Heifers struggling to integrate with the milking herd is also a stress point in dairy herds. Stress can also be caused by a range of natural environmental challenges such as adverse weather, parasites or lack of food or water.
CattleZen is a different way to help maintain calm in cattle of all ages by addressing the brain’s perception of threat, not just the symptoms of stress.
This unique proprietary product combines two pheromones: Maternal Bovine Appeasing Substance (mBAS) mimics naturally occurring pheromones that are secreted by the skin of the mammary gland of lactating cattle and 2-Methyl-2-butenal (2M2B) is a synthetic cross-species calming pheromone.
When applied to the skin above the muzzle, CattleZen’s two pheromones are inhaled and detected by the vomeronasal organ inside the nasal cavity, sending signals to the amygdala to promote a sense of calm.
CattleZen should be used on healthy cattle, for the maintenance of balanced behaviour and mitigation of the negative impact of stress. For best results, apply prior to the anticipated period of stress. Apply topically to a single site just above the muzzle: apply 5ml in cattle over 100kg and 3ml in cattle under 100kg. CattleZen is not a veterinary medicine subject to authorisation by the HPRA, so does not need a prescription and the withholding of meat or milk is not required. Ask your local vet or trade merchant for more information.
No single product replaces sound management, nutrition and health programmes, or low-stress cattle handling. Producers and vets continue to adopt technologies that provide incremental improvements in cattle performance, health and welfare and the use of pheromones perfectly complements existing practices.
Research has shown that the stress response in cattle is physiological, and the response to pheromones is also physiological. When using CattleZen, calming signals reach the brain regions that regulate fear and stress, helping cattle feel safe, relaxed, and easier to handle — even in challenging situations.
Visit norbrook.com for more information.
