Measuring the torque required to cause vertebral dislocation in cattle tails

Area of Science:

• Veterinary biomechanics
• Animal welfare science

Background:

• Vertebral dislocations in cattle tails can occur, raising concerns about handling practices.
• Understanding the biomechanical forces involved is crucial for assessing potential injury causes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the ex vivo torque necessary to induce vertebral dislocation in bovine tails.
• To establish a benchmark for assessing the forces involved in tail injuries.

Main Methods:

• Five bovine tails were obtained from a slaughterhouse within 2 hours of slaughter.
• Tails were clamped, and torque was applied using a wrench and steel collar until vertebral dislocation occurred.
• Torque at the point of dislocation was recorded using a torque wrench.

Main Results:

• The minimum torque required for tail dislocation was 9.8 Nm.
• The maximum torque recorded was 20 Nm.
• The uncertainty in measurements was 4.9 Nm.

Conclusions:

• Accidental tail dislocation in cattle requires significant torque, unlikely to occur with standard handling.
• Evidence of broken tails suggests a failure to meet recommended animal handling and welfare standards.
• This study provides objective data to support the assessment of cattle handling practices and welfare compliance.