Data from: Development and application of a scoring system for septum injuries in beef calves with and without a nose flap
Data files
Jun 21, 2023 version files 203.19 KB
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Nasal_photo_scores_all_days_220821.csv
11.71 KB
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README.pdf
191.48 KB
Jan 16, 2024 version files 15.08 KB
Abstract
The weaning period is a stressful time for beef calves because they must quickly gain independence from their dam. Gradual methods of weaning, such as when the calf is fitted with a nose flap to prevent suckling, are known to reduce the behavioral and physiological indicators of stress. Nose flaps are held in place by the nasal septum and are worn for 4 to 7 d. In the present study, the objectives were to 1) identify if a plastic nose flap worn for 7 d caused nasal injuries, (2) identify if factors like calf body weight or septum size predict injuries or flap loss, and (3) create a scoring system that could reliably score wound characteristics. Eighty-two (N = 82) Angus and Angus-Hereford crossbred beef calves were randomly assigned to ‘Flap’ or ‘No Flap’ treatments. Calves weighed 247 ± 29 kg and those with a flap had septums that were 39 ± 2 mm (mean ± SD). Images were taken of each nostril before flap insertion, on the day of removal, and 6 d after removal. Wounds were scored for the presence/absence of 3 characteristics in either nostril: damage (tissue where the flap rested was a different color than surrounding nostril), impression (edges of the wound were clearly raised or sunken), and blood. One trained observer scored a subset of photos (N = 64) twice, in a consistent manner for all 3 characteristics (damage, impression, and blood; 97%, 91%, and 100% agreement between 1st and 2nd evaluations, respectively), indicating that our system is repeatable. Thirty-two percent of calves in the Flap treatment lost their flap before the day of removal. No calves in the No Flap treatment were injured. All animals that kept their flap in for 7 d had damage and impressions in at least 1 nostril and 86% of calves had blood present immediately after nose flap removal (P ≤ 0.001 compared to No Flap) indicating that the flaps altered the nasal tissue and created open wounds. Six d after flap removal, 100% still had visible damage, 64% had impressions, and 29% had blood, indicating that while damage is longer lasting, wounds can start to repair after the flap is removed. Injuries were prevalent in all calves, thus there was no relationship between calf size (body weight or septum width) on these wounds (P ≥ 0.374). Body weight or septum size did not differ (P ≥ 0.489) between calves that kept or lost their flap. Injuries inflicted from a nose flap may counteract the previously documented benefits of this method of weaning, making it less advantageous than alternatives and raise concerns about other uses of these devices in other contexts.
README: Data from: Development and application of a scoring system for septum injuries in beef calves with and without a nose flap
https://doi.org/10.25338/B8535Z
The supplemental materials are referenced in the corresponding research publication and provide additional information and context for the experiment’s design and results. Raw data, RMarkdown files, and tables are presented as proportions and means, which is how the data were analyzed.
Description of the data and file structure
Supplemental tables and figures:
- Supplemental Table S1.xlsx *Current commercially available nose flaps for purchase in the United States. Description, type of flap, image1, manufacturer, and reported dimensions included. Images are from manufacturer or seller websites
Supplemental Tables 2 and 3.pdf
- Supplemental Table S2. *Current (as of 2022) research articles with nose flaps utilized in their method section. Included are the journal publication details, type of nose flap and dimensions reported, and the weight and age of the calves studied.
- Supplemental Table S3. Mean, *SE, and 95% CI for calf weight (kg) and septum width measurements (mm), along with model outputs.
Raw data:
This section includes the data used for this paper.
Data: Nasal_photo_scores_all_days_220821.csv.
- CALF_ID: Each calf utilized had an individual identification number on an ear tag.
- L_IMPRESSION, DAMAGE and BLOOD: Zero/one scores for impression, damage, and blood characteristics in the left nostril.
- R_IMPRESSION, DAMAGE and BLOOD: Zero/one scores for impression, damage, and blood characteristics in the right nostril.
- DATE TAKEN: The exact date of data collection.
- DOT: Day of Trial, identifies what was done on that day in relationship to the nose flap insertion: before, at removal and 6 d after flap removal.
- WEIGHT_KG: Reflects each calf’s body weight on the day of flap insertion.
- SEPTUM WIDTH: Reports the outer septum width measurements (in mm) that were taken of all calves that received a flap.
- TREATMENT: All data in this section were collected from 82 angus crossbred weaned calves that acted as control (No flap, n=41 or had a nose flap fitted to their nasal septum for 7 d (Flap, n=28). The ‘Lost flap’ treatment (Lost flap, n=13) was specified when a calf removed the flap before 7 d.
- IMPRESSION1: Zero/one scores, reports a 1 value if impression was observed in at least one nostril.
- DAMAGE1: Zero/one scores, reports a 1 value if damage was observed in at least one nostril.
- BLOOD1: Zero/one scores, reports a 1 value if blood was observed in at least one nostril.
Missing data were reported as “NA” or Not Applicable due to missed handling event or blurry photos that were unable to be scored.
Code/Software
RMarkdown code:
All code in this section use the data files listed above to build and validate models to describe effects of treatment (flap, no flap), time point (before flap insertion, at removal, or 6 d afterwards), or calf size (weight, septum width), and/or produce the figures used in the corresponding paper. Rmd files can be downloaded and run in R, or downloaded and viewed via the pdf output, which includes the code and output previews. Both versions are annotated.
• Nose flap analysis 220818 (pdf and .Rmd)
Methods
Please see the details in the accompanying research publication.
Usage notes
Please see the README file.