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Imprinting01:22

Imprinting

Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.

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Characterizing neuroma-like formation after tail docking in sheep.

Sara K Pantel1, Jocelyn M Woods2, Sarah J J Adcock2

  • 1Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2015 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Animal & Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1675 Observatory Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.

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|April 1, 2026
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Summary

Rubber ring tail docking in young lambs causes neuroma-like lesions and fibrosis. These findings suggest that early-life tail docking may lead to chronic pain in sheep.

Keywords:
Animal welfareChronic painHistologyHusbandryLamb

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Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Science
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Histopathology

Background:

  • Tail docking is a common sheep husbandry practice causing acute pain.
  • Previous studies indicate tail docking in older lambs (4-8 weeks) can lead to neuromas and chronic pain.
  • The effects of early-life rubber ring tail docking on tail stump histology are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the histological outcomes of rubber ring tail docking in lambs performed within the first week of life.
  • To compare tail stump histology in early-docked lambs with undocked controls.
  • To determine if neuroma-like lesions develop after early rubber ring tail docking.

Main Methods:

  • Histological and immunohistochemical examination of tail stumps from 18 Polypay lambs (8 docked, 10 controls) slaughtered at 7.5-8 months of age.
  • Tails were collected, decalcified, and evaluated for neuroma characteristics.
  • Blinded semi-quantitative scoring of key histological features, including axon proliferation and fibrosis.

Main Results:

  • Neuroma-like axon proliferation and fibrosis were significantly more severe in docked lamb tails compared to controls.
  • Axon proliferation was prominent in the periosteum of docked vertebral bone.
  • Histology confirmed lesions characteristic of traumatic neuromas, including Schwann cell proliferation.

Conclusions:

  • Rubber ring tail docking in lambs at 1-2 days of age induces neuroma-like lesions.
  • These lesions, characterized by nerve proliferation and fibrosis, suggest a potential source of chronic pain in sheep.
  • Early-life tail docking, even with rubber rings, can result in long-term pathological changes.