Efficacy of caudal epidural injection of lidocaine, xylazine and xylazine plus hyaluronidase in reducing discomfort produced by electroejaculation in bulls

To test the hypothesis that epidural administration of lidocaine, xylazine or xylazine plus hyaluronidase provides reduced pain and stress during electroejaculation in bulls, eight 30-month-old Nellore bulls received saline solution (control), 2% lidocaine, 2% xylazine or 2% xylazine plus hyaluronidase injected into the first intercoccygeal (Co1–Co2) epidural space in randomized order. Heart rate, respiratory rate, mean arterial pressure, analgesia, animal behavior and motor blockade were evaluated before treatment and at predetermined intervals during and after treatment. Pain and stress were scored subjectively, and semen quality was evaluated. The onset of anesthetic action was significantly faster with lidocaine (3.0 ± 1.2 min) than with xylazine or xylazine plus hyaluronidase (8.9 ± 1.5 and 5.5 ± 2.6 min, P=0.021 and P=0.012, respectively), and the onset of anesthesia with xylazine plus hyaluronidase was significantly faster than that with xylazine alone (P=0.032). Treatment with xylazine or xylazine plus hyaluronidase resulted in less discomfort than treatment with lidocaine, as indicated by animal behavior. Changes in heart rate, respiratory rate and arterial pressure were within acceptable limits. Penile protrusion and semen emission occurred in all animals during all four treatments. Our results suggest that xylazine plus hyaluronidase reduced discomfort during electroejaculation more effectively than xylazine or lidocaine alone. Further experiments are necessary to determine whether electroejaculation with xylazine plus hyaluronidase is feasible for obtaining semen from Nellore bulls unaccustomed to being handled or restrained.