Manuscript Title:

DETERMINING A PAIN CAUSED BY FOOT ROT DISEASE IN GOATS USING FACIAL EXPRESSIONS, PERIPHERAL TEMPERATURES AND CORTISOL HORMONE

Author:

NIZAR JALAL HUSSEIN, ASSEL ANWER IBRAHEM AL-NAQSHABENDY

DOI Number:

DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/KQW4U

Published : 2023-01-23

About the author(s)

1. NIZAR JALAL HUSSEIN - Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Zakho, Zakho, Iraq.
2. ASSEL ANWER IBRAHEM AL-NAQSHABENDY - College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Duhok, Duhok Iraq.

Full Text : PDF

Abstract

No study is undertaken to establish a face grimace scale for goats. Therefore, the present study was designed to measure facial expressions, peripheral temperatures and cortisol hormone of goats affected with foot rot disease. Forty goats (20 healthy and 20 infected) were used in this study. Two images were captured from each animal to detect facial grimace scale of goats. Eye, ear and nasal temperatures were measured using infrared thermal camera. In addition, cortisol hormone was obtained from blood serum. Results revealed that there was a significant drop (P<0.01) in eye, ear and nasal temperatures of infected goats compared to healthy animals. In addition, cortisol hormone was significantly (P<0.01) higher in infected animals at day 1 and day 7. The changes in facial expressions were significantly (P<0.01) different than healthy animals, except for the cheek (masseter) muscle. The total pain score was significantly (P<0.01) higher in day 1 and day 7, compared to healthy animals. Sensitivity of facial grimace scale was 0.75 and 1-specificity was 0.35. It was concluded that using changes in facial expressions in goats is a good tool for detecting pain.


Keywords

Cortisol, Foot Rot, Facial Expressions, Goats, Pain, Peripheral Temperatures.