Qualitative behavioral assessment of transport-naive and transport-habituated sheep.

Objective and issue-neutral qualitative assessments of livestock behavior could provide a powerful assessment of welfare, augmenting quantitative measures such as autonomic and endocrine changes, which are often difficult to assess under many commercial livestock conditions. We set out to validate the use of qualitative behavioral assessment (QBA) in sheep using controlled experimental conditions (transport as a challenge) and comparing assessments against physiological variables. The behavioral expression of 14 Merino wethers, which had never experienced land transport, were assessed during their first road event (naïve to transport), and then again on their seventh event, 8 d later (habituated to transport). Blood samples were collected immediately before loading and after unloading, and heart rate and core body temperature were measured continuously throughout each event. Continuous video footage recorded during each event was used to provide clips of individual animals that were shown to observers for QBA. There was significant consensus (P < 0.001) amongst 63 observers in terms of their assessment of the behavioral expression of the sheep. Transport-naïve sheep were assessed as being more 'alert', 'anxious', and 'aware', whereas transport-habituated sheep were more 'comfortable', 'tired', and 'confident' (P = 0.015). Heart rate and heart rate variability, core body temperature and a stress leukogram were greater (P < 0.05) in sheep during the first (naïve) event compared with the habituated event, and were significantly correlated with the QBA scores (P < 0.05). In conclusion, QBA is a valid, practical and informative measure of behavioral responses to transport.

Stopwatch-assessed duration of erection: a new measure of the efficacy of erectile dysfunction treatments.

Results are reported from the first two adequate trials of the PDE-5 inhibitor vardenafil using a stopwatch to precisely measure erection duration in men with ED. Two randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials were conducted: a crossover 4-week treatment in men with ED (ENDURANCE) and a parallel group, 12-week treatment in men with ED and dyslipidemia (the dyslipidemia study). Stopwatch-assessed duration of erection leading to successful intercourse measured by Sexual Encounter Profile question-3 (SEP-3) was the primary end point in ENDURANCE and one of the secondary end points in the dyslipidemia study. Other efficacy end points included responses to SEP-2, SEP-3 and International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) domain scores. Adverse events were recorded. Duration of erection (least squares mean ± s.e.) leading to successful intercourse was statistically superior in men receiving vardenafil versus placebo (12.8 ± 1.0 versus 5.5 ± 1.0 min; p<0.001 in ENDURANCE and 10.0 ± 0.8 versus 3.4 ± 0.8; p<0.001 in the dyslipidemia study), with a difference of 7.4 and 6.6 min, respectively, between treatment groups. Results for SEP-2, SEP-3 and IIEF-EF domain scores were consistent across studies and with stopwatch-assessed measures for duration of erection. Vardenafil was well tolerated. Duration of erection leading to successful intercourse is an important indicator of the efficacy of ED treatment. The stopwatch approach offers an alternative, precise and reproducible measure of efficacy. We propose this approach as a potential new paradigm for assessing the efficacy of ED treatments.

A nonsurgical method allowing continuous core temperature monitoring in mares for extended periods, including during endurance exercise.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Body temperature can be a useful measure of how well the horse responds to thermal challenges of exercise and environment. Currently there is little information available about how body temperature changes throughout an endurance ride, and no nonsurgical methods to evaluate internal temperature of exercising horses during prolonged periods and during long distances. OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a nonsurgical method, using temperature loggers, of continuously recording internal temperature during exercise and over an extended period. METHODS: Loggers were inserted transcervically into the uterus of mares to measure internal temperature. A total of 9 mares were implanted for periods of 3 days to 6 weeks. The internal temperature was recorded while horses underwent their normal training and competition. Loggers were validated against rectal temperature over a range of internal temperatures while mares were alternatively exercised and rested. RESULTS: The technique proved to be straightforward and accurate. There were no ill effects observed and all mares retained the logger in utero until removal manually, except for one mare, which expelled the logger when she came into oestrus. The intrauterine and deep rectal temperatures were highly correlated and increased during exercise and decreased with aggressive cooling after exercise. CONCLUSIONS: The technique is a useful and accurate nonsurgical method for prolonged monitoring of internal temperature in mares, including those animals in athletic competition. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: This method allows more intensive studies of core temperature during prolonged exercise in competition and under different environmental conditions. It also enables comparison to be made of different methods of cooling of horses post exercise.