Measurement of mechanical thresholds, plasma cortisol and catecholamines in control and lame cattle: a preliminary study.

The threshold response to a mechanical nociceptive stimulus was significantly lower on the lame hind limb of lame cows than on the same limb of sound cows. There were no significant differences between the concentrations of cortisol, noradrenaline, adrenaline or dopamine in the blood plasma of the sound and lame cows.