Glucocorticoid Hormones in Aging

Abstract

The evaluation of a written questionnaire interviewing 317 farmers in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, pointed out some frequent causes of accidents with breeding bulls and shows concrete danger spots of keeping breeding bulls in farms. One in every fourth farm reported a dangerous "event" with breeding bulls ill the past, 23 of these events resulted in injury. About 75% of the events were caused by bulls of the dairy breeds, whereas it made no difference whether the bulls were horned or not. The larger a herd, the more likely the emergence of dangerous situations. If a bull was bought as a calf or born on the farm, probability of an event decreases significantly. Bulls aged 24 to 36 months were most frequently involved in accidents. Most accidents occurred in pastures and in loose housing, mainly in the late afternoon and evening hours. The most dangerous Situations were identified as being encountered during herding and breeding, as well as during everyday stable activities. Nearly two thirds of bulls involved in accidents former were evaluated as sociable or not aggressive, respectively. The results of the evaluation provide relevant information about the most important actions that can be taken to prevent accidents with breeding bulls. First of all, awareness must be raised that working with breeding bulls requires full attention at all times, even if the animal previously has shown to be quiet and peaceful. Persons who work with breeding bulls should have good knowledge of the behavioural biologic ontogenesis of bulls during development from calf to the adult animal. It is dangerously wrong to assume that hornless bulls or dairy breed bulls with partial lower body masses are more harmless. Also, fatigue at the end of a long working day which leads to decreased attention is an important source of danger. Apparently also in bigger herds there is less attention paid to the bull. Advantageous for the prevention of accidents is the purchase Of Young breeding bulls (especially if born on the own farm) as well as establishing a positive human-animal relationship. For optimizing animal husbandry and stable constructing, safety aspects are as important as animal welfare, animal health and productivity and should therefore always be included in respective considerations