PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
An uncontrolled reproduction of animals in human hands should be avoided. To meet this goal, animals are widely castrated, i.e., the gonads are completely removed. Since the gonads are the most important source of sex hormones, this is a serious intervention in the entire endocrine system of an organism. Sterilization is a much less invasive procedure. Thus, it could have advantages over castration. Therefore, the overall aim of this study was to analyze the effect of castration vs. sterilization on the release of glucocorticoids, i.e., an important indicator for welfare. Taking domestic guinea pigs as a model system, we studied baseline and response cortisol values (cortisol is the main glucocorticoid in guinea pigs) in castrated, sterilized, sham-operated and intact males and baseline values in their cohoused females. Whereas baseline values of males did not differ between the groups, castrated males showed significantly higher cortisol response levels than intact, sham-operated and sterilized males. Females housed with castrated, sterilized, sham-operated or intact males did not differ in their cortisol concentrations, neither shortly after being placed with the respective male or after being co-housed for several weeks. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that castrated males exhibited a higher cortisol responsiveness during acute challenge which could point to a generalized impaired welfare of castrated males in comparison to intact, sham-operated and sterilized males. Our results provide first evidence for a potential negative impact of castration on the animals\' welfare, while at the same time pointing toward sterilization representing a less invasive, promising alternative. Therefore, the results may stimulate future research on this topic to further detect potential welfare-related side effects of castration.
摘要：
应避免动物在人手中的不受控制的繁殖。为了实现这一目标,动物被广泛阉割，即，性腺被完全去除。由于性腺是性激素最重要的来源，这是对生物体整个内分泌系统的严重干预。灭菌是一种侵入性小得多的程序。因此，它可能比阉割更有优势。因此,本研究的总体目标是分析去势与去势的效果。灭菌对糖皮质激素的释放，即，福利的重要指标。以家养豚鼠为模型系统,我们研究了基线和反应皮质醇值（皮质醇是豚鼠的主要糖皮质激素），灭菌,假手术和完整的男性以及与其同居的女性的基线值。而男性的基线值在两组之间没有差异，阉割的男性显示出明显高于完整的皮质醇反应水平，假手术和绝育的男性。被阉割的雌性，灭菌,假手术或完整的男性在他们的皮质醇浓度上没有差异，既不是在与各自的男性被安置后不久，也不是在共同居住几周后。总的来说,结果支持这样的假设，即cast割的男性在急性攻击期间表现出更高的皮质醇反应性，这可能表明cast割的男性与完整的男性相比，福利普遍受损。假手术和绝育的男性。我们的结果为阉割对动物福利的潜在负面影响提供了初步证据，同时指向代表较少侵入性的灭菌，有希望的替代方案。因此,该结果可能会激发未来对该主题的研究，以进一步检测与福利相关的潜在去势副作用。
