Measurement and Description of Lambs Docked at the Distal End of the Caudal Fold

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Measurement and Description of Lambs Docked at
the Distal End of the Caudal Fold
Draft!! Preliminary Results

• Jeff Goodwin, Troy Ott, Michele Pike, University
  of Idaho
• Tim Murphy, Texas AM University
• Jim Jenson, Ross Jacobson, Utah State University
• Jeam Woloshuk, University of West Virginia
• Bob Peterson, University of Arizona
• Bill Shulaw, Ohio State University
• Jan Busboom, Jerry Newman, Washington State
  University
• 11-12-03

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Background

• Distal End of the Caudal Fold (DECF)
• 1999 USAHA
• 2000 AASRP
• 2000 AVMA
• ASI, AFBF, NIAA and several state level groups

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Dave Thomas Study

• 1,227 Lambs at six locations
• U of WI, TAMU, Ohio State, Iowa State, Oregon
  State
• Three treatments
• Short docked at the body
• Medium Mid web
• Long Distal end of caudal fold

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Thomas Study Results

• Incidence of Rectal Prolapse
• Shorta 7.8
• Mediumb 4.0
• Longb 1.8 (no different than 0)

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The Three Treatments
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Idaho Study

• 784 lambs in 5 states
• 481 Utah
• 63 Idaho
• 151 Ohio
• 62 Arizona
• 27 West Virginia
• All docked at the distal end of the caudal fold

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Research Objective 1

• Develop a device to accurately measure a lambs
  tail length
• Assess the accuracy of the proposed device

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The Device
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The Device
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Findings Objective 1 Measurement Accuracy

• Device is very reliable
• Untrained and trained users were within .1 inch
  in their measurements
• No significant difference in the reliability of
  instrument between trained and untrained operators

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Research Objective 2

• Describe a population of lambs docked at the
  distal end of the caudal fold in terms of a
  linear measurement

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Docking Frequency by Location
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Weaning Frequency by Location
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Market Frequency by Location
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Frequencies at D-W-M OH 113 HD
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Frequencies at D-W-M UT 451 HD
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Frequencies at D-W-M ID 36 HD
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Frequencies at D-W-M AZ UA 17 HD
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Frequencies at D-W-M AZ AM 25 HD
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Frequencies at D-W-M 784 Head
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Findings Objective 2Describe a population of
lambs docked at distal end of caudal fold

• Mean Measurements
• 1.2 inch Docking
• 1.6 inch Weaning
• 1.8 inch Market
• If a lamb is docked at 1 inch there is 99
  confidence in arriving at market at .7 inch or
  longer

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Research Objective 3

• Determine if the length of the tail changes
  between docking, weaning, and market ready time
  frames

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Findings Objective 3Do tails get shorter as lamb
develops?

• There is a significant difference in mean tail
  length (longer) between docking, weaning, and
  market time frames
• 91.8 chance that a lambs tail will stay the
  same or grow longer between weaning and market
  when docked at the DECF
• 98.5 chance that a lambs tail will stay the
  same or grow longer between docking and market
  when docked at the DECF

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Tail Growth 784 Head
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General Findings Recommendations from the Study

• Use the docking mean to check your lambs at
  docking - 1.2 inch
• Virtually all lambs docked at the DECF as
  recommended by industry organizations would
  measure .7 inch or longer at weaning or market as
  measured with Detail Device
• States and/or shows that which to establish a
  minimum standard for an acceptably docked lamb
  could use the .7 inch as measured in the study.
• Data to stand on (Thomas Study Goodwin Study)
  should litigation occur

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General Findings Recommendations from the Study

• Encourage exhibitors to have a .7 inch version of
  the Detail Device with them as they shop for
  prospect show lambs
• If breeders merchants dock at .7 inch they will
  lose 40-50 of their lambs
• Detail devices .7 inch and complete versions will
  be available at UI
• .0012 of the lambs in the study prolapsed 1/784
• 2004 the educational year??
• 2005 the enforcement year??

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• Non issue in 2006 !!

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Not Just Rectal Prolapse Issue

• Physical alteration of show animals driving shows
• Major animal industry groups recommending one
  thing and Extension allows something else to
  happen
• Re-docking older animals
• Rectal prolapse

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Animal Activists are not Driving this Issue..

• Responsible Stewards of Livestock Are Driving it!!