Studies in various animal species have demonstrated that stress during pregnancy can have a detrimental effect on progeny health and development throughout its postnatal life. If this were to apply to dairy cows, minimising stress in pregnant cows could be of critical importance in ensuring offspring health and welfare. However, relationships between maternal health and welfare and offspring performance have not been well investigated in dairy cattle. Traditionally management strategies for cows in late pregnancy (i.e. in the dry period) have focused on maximising milk production whilst minimising impacts on postpartum health. This may include management practices that can have a negative impact on the health and welfare of cows in the dry period itself. This project aimed to identify potential sources of stress associated with management practices in late pregnant cows, and to investigate its effects on offspring health, behaviour and welfare. A survey was conducted to investigate typical dry cow and pre-weaned calf management practices on dairy farms in the United Kingdom (UK). Data from 148 commercial UK dairy farms provided valuable information on dry cow and pre-weaning calf management. Procedures that were commonly practised but potentially stressful for dry cows included the abrupt cessation of milking and frequent changes in diet and social environment. Two experimental studies were conducted to investigate the impact of alternative management practices in late pregnancy on progeny welfare. The first experiment investigated the behavioural, physiological and metabolic responses of dry cows to industry minimum standards (H: high stocking group) compared to a more extensive space allowance (L: low stocking density). The offspring of these cows were monitored until weaning to assess their responses to typical dairy farm procedures. The second experiment was conducted on calves born to heifers from an out-wintering project. Pregnant heifers were kept either indoor or outdoor grazing (on deferred grass or kale) throughout the winter period. The health, growth and behaviour of offspring were monitored for the first 14 days of life. Limited feed-face space resulted in altered feeding patterns and increased competition at the feed-face. There was no association between dry period stocking density and the physiology and metabolism of dry cows. Maternal treatment had no impact on pre-weaned calf birth weight, health, growth, passive immunity, neonatal vigour and the majority of behavioural outcomes. However, H calves made more frequent social contact with companions compared to L calves and showed higher behavioural reactivity to weaning. Maternal high stocking density treatment and previous disease incidence in calves reduced the behavioural reactions to disbudding and the expression of pain-related behaviours. Out-wintering of pregnant heifers on kale showed no negative impact on growth compared to the indoor group, whilst out-wintering on deferred grass resulted in the lowest growth rate. However, out-wintering on deferred grass may have enhanced offspring social motivation and learning ability. This study has demonstrated potential associations between maternal experience during pregnancy, and offspring growth and behaviour. The effect of maternal treatment on offspring behaviour may be more likely to emerge in challenging situations. Further research will be needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and to reach definite conclusions, which would have implications for improving the welfare of late pregnant cows and their offspring.

De acordo com o manejo tradicionalmente empregado na pecuária leiteira, a descorna de bezerros é um procedimento rotineiro e de destaque na atividade. Tal procedimento é normalmente realizado por meio da cauterização térmica e apresenta-se, portanto, como um dos principais fatores da ocorrência de queimaduras em bezerros. O tratamento das lesões baseia-se na aplicação tópica de substâncias cicatrizantes, antimicrobianas e repelentes, sendo que, na Medicina Veterinária, o elemento mais utilizado e presente em produtos tópicos comerciais com finalidade de melhorar o tempo de cicatrização é o óxido de zinco. Como alternativa ao uso de antibióticos e melhora da cicatrização de feridas, a fototerapia de baixa intensidade bem como a terapia fotodinâmica se apresentam como opções terapêuticas no tratamento para reparação tecidual e contra infecções locais em feridas por queimaduras. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os resultados do emprego da fototerapia no tratamento de lesões de queimaduras induzidas por meio da descorna cauterizante em bezerros, caracterizando a evolução macroscópica e histológica da cicatrização das lesões e a recuperação clínica do animal quando comparada com o tratamento tradicional preconizado com pomada à base de óxido de zinco. Desta forma, foram utilizados 30 bezerros, divididos em cinco grupos avaliados: G1 - grupo controle; G2- grupo laser vermelho (LV), λ=660nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - laser infravermelho (IV), λ=810nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - LED vermelho (LED), λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2) e G4 grupo terapia fotodinâmica (PDT), azul de metileno a 0,01% associado ao LED vermelho, λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2). Os resultados demonstraram que não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos quanto ao tempo de regressão das lesões bem como quanto à deposição de colágeno tipo III. Pode-se concluir que as fototerapias, nos parâmetros de irradiação propostos, mostraram-se tão eficazes quanto à aplicação de unguento com óxido de zinco na cicatrização de queimaduras em bezerros / According to the traditionally management used in dairy cattle, disbudding calves is a highly important routine procedure. Disbudding is usually performed by heat cauterization and presents itself as the main factor that leads to burns injuries in calves. The treatment of the lesions is based on the topical application of antimicrobial and repellents healing products, and in Veterinary Medicine, the most frequent used and present in commercial products, in order to improve the healing time, is zinc oxide. As an alternative to antibiotics and to improve wound healing, low level phototherapy and photodynamic therapy are presented as therapeutic options for tissue repair and against local infections in burn wounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of phototherapy in the treatment of burn injuries induced by disbudding in calves, by macroscopic and histological features of the lesions, and the clinical recovery of the animals, and to compare with the traditional treatment with zinc oxide ointment. Thus, 30 calves were divided into five study groups: G1 control; G2 - red laser (RL), λ = 660 nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2), G3 - infrared laser (IR), λ = 810nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2); G4 - red LED (LED), λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation (10,8J / cm2) and G5 - photodynamic therapy (PDT), methylene blue 0.01% associated with the red LED λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation ( 10,8J / cm2). The results showed no statistical differences among the groups according to wound healing time, and to the type III collagen deposition. It was possible to conclude that phototherapies, in the proposed irradiation parameters, were efficient as zinc oxide ointment in the burn wound healing in calves

De acordo com o manejo tradicionalmente empregado na pecuária leiteira, a descorna de bezerros é um procedimento rotineiro e de destaque na atividade. Tal procedimento é normalmente realizado por meio da cauterização térmica e apresenta-se, portanto, como um dos principais fatores da ocorrência de queimaduras em bezerros. O tratamento das lesões baseia-se na aplicação tópica de substâncias cicatrizantes, antimicrobianas e repelentes, sendo que, na Medicina Veterinária, o elemento mais utilizado e presente em produtos tópicos comerciais com finalidade de melhorar o tempo de cicatrização é o óxido de zinco. Como alternativa ao uso de antibióticos e melhora da cicatrização de feridas, a fototerapia de baixa intensidade bem como a terapia fotodinâmica se apresentam como opções terapêuticas no tratamento para reparação tecidual e contra infecções locais em feridas por queimaduras. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os resultados do emprego da fototerapia no tratamento de lesões de queimaduras induzidas por meio da descorna cauterizante em bezerros, caracterizando a evolução macroscópica e histológica da cicatrização das lesões e a recuperação clínica do animal quando comparada com o tratamento tradicional preconizado com pomada à base de óxido de zinco. Desta forma, foram utilizados 30 bezerros, divididos em cinco grupos avaliados: G1 - grupo controle; G2- grupo laser vermelho (LV), λ=660nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - laser infravermelho (IV), λ=810nm/20s de irradiação (70J/cm2); G3 - LED vermelho (LED), λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2) e G4 grupo terapia fotodinâmica (PDT), azul de metileno a 0,01% associado ao LED vermelho, λ=660nm/40s de irradiação (10,8J/cm2). Os resultados demonstraram que não houve diferença estatística entre os grupos quanto ao tempo de regressão das lesões bem como quanto à deposição de colágeno tipo III. Pode-se concluir que as fototerapias, nos parâmetros de irradiação propostos, mostraram-se tão eficazes quanto à aplicação de unguento com óxido de zinco na cicatrização de queimaduras em bezerros / According to the traditionally management used in dairy cattle, disbudding calves is a highly important routine procedure. Disbudding is usually performed by heat cauterization and presents itself as the main factor that leads to burns injuries in calves. The treatment of the lesions is based on the topical application of antimicrobial and repellents healing products, and in Veterinary Medicine, the most frequent used and present in commercial products, in order to improve the healing time, is zinc oxide. As an alternative to antibiotics and to improve wound healing, low level phototherapy and photodynamic therapy are presented as therapeutic options for tissue repair and against local infections in burn wounds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of phototherapy in the treatment of burn injuries induced by disbudding in calves, by macroscopic and histological features of the lesions, and the clinical recovery of the animals, and to compare with the traditional treatment with zinc oxide ointment. Thus, 30 calves were divided into five study groups: G1 control; G2 - red laser (RL), λ = 660 nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2), G3 - infrared laser (IR), λ = 810nm / 20 seconds of irradiation (70J / cm2); G4 - red LED (LED), λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation (10,8J / cm2) and G5 - photodynamic therapy (PDT), methylene blue 0.01% associated with the red LED λ = 660 nm / 40 seconds of irradiation ( 10,8J / cm2). The results showed no statistical differences among the groups according to wound healing time, and to the type III collagen deposition. It was possible to conclude that phototherapies, in the proposed irradiation parameters, were efficient as zinc oxide ointment in the burn wound healing in calves