Welfare responses of female cattle subject to reproductive procedures in Northern Australia

Summary

The spaying of cattle is considered an essential management tool in parts of Northern Australia.  In recent years traditional flank spaying has been increasingly replaced by the Willis Dropped Ovary Technique (WDOT), which is perceived as having better welfare outcomes than flank spaying, however this perception has never been scientifically validated.  Studies conducted under commercial conditions demonstrated that the acute (up to 8 hours post-procedure) physiological and behavioural responses of commercial Brahman heifers and cows to flank and WDOT spaying were virtually indistinguishable.