Rumenotomy-induced Stress of Standing and Lateral Recumbency Restraints based on Physiologic Parameters and Interleukin-6 Expressions in Kano-Brown Goats

Abstract

Ruminant welfare post-surgery could be improved by employing a procedural technique that causes minimal surgical stress. A total of twenty-four (n = 24) Kano Brown goats (KBGs) aged 1–2 years, weighing an average of 15.52 kg, were recruited for the study. Rumen skin clamp fixation (RSCF) and a stay suture rumenotomy (SSR) in lateral recumbency while standing restraint rumenotomy was aided by a locally fabricated mobile small ruminant surgical chute (MSRSC) were performed in groups A, B, and D, respectively, as control group C had no surgery. Six goats were allocated to each group such that each group had 3 males and females that were positive for rumen foreign body impaction (RFBI), except goats in group C that were free of RFBI. Pre- and post-rumenotomy values of vital parameters did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The group A serum IL-6 concentrations at 72 hours post-rumenotomy (61.21 ± 44.52 ng/L) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those in group D (15.24 ± 3.09 ng/L) among the female KBGs. The concentrations of IL-6 at week 1 post-rumenotomy in group A were significantly higher (65.05 ± 31.11 ng/L) than in groups B (15.86 ± 0.29), D (18.75 ± 5.81) and C (14.86 ± 0.79 ng/L). The lack of significant changes in the mean values of rectal temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate implies that the standing rumenotomy utilizing the MSRSC did not vary in surgical stress severity from the conventional approaches; RSCF and SSR, done in lateral recumbency. The IL-6 in group D was lower when compared to the values in group A females at 72 hours and at week 1 for the male KBGs, suggesting profound surgical stress among females and males in groups A and B over group D. Standing restraints cause less surgical stress than lateral recumbency restraints, making it a better procedural approach for rumenotomy in goats.