Table 3.
Estimated marginal means ± standard error (SE): time of induction and recovery after intranasal/intramuscular application of azaperone; mean scoring of movement and vocalisation: low-dose group i.m. (Aza_l_i.m. 2 mg/kg), medium-dose group i.m. (Aza_m_i.m. 3 mg/kg), high-dose group i.m. (Aza_h_i.m. 5 mg/kg) and high-dose group i.n. (Aza_h_i.n. 5 mg/kg); azaperone + alfaxalone: low-dose group i.m. (Aza/Alf_l_i.m. 2 mg/kg + 2 mg/kg), medium-dose group i.m. (Aza/Alf_m_i.m. 3 mg/kg + 3 mg/kg), high-dose group i.m. (Aza/Alf_h_i.m. 5 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg) and high-dose group i.n. (Aza/Alf_h_i.n. 5 mg/kg + 5 mg/kg); azaperone + midazolam: low-dose group i.m. (Aza/Mid_l_i.m. 2 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/kg), medium-dose group i.m. (Aza/Mid_m_i.m. 3 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/kg), high-dose group i.m. (Aza/Mid_h_i.m. 5 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/kg) and high-dose group i.n. (Aza/Mid_h_i.n. 5 mg/kg + 0.2 mg/kg) with ten piglets in each group. Induction time was measured from time of drug application until lateral recumbency was reached. Recovery time was measured from the time of return to the piglet nest after castration until the return to the mother sow.
| Groups | Shortcuts | Induction (min) |
Mean Scoring Handling LA |
Mean Scoring Application LA |
Mean Scoring Handling Castration |
Mean Scoring Castration |
Mean Total Scoring |
Recovery (min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | Aza_l_i.m. | 14.86 ± 3.43 | 1.1 ± 0.29 | 1.25 ± 0.31 | 1.54 ± 0.23 * | 1.19 ± 0.20 | 1.36 ± 0.18 | 9.28 ± 3.22 |
| G2 | Aza_m_i.m. | 10.58 ± 2.50 | 1.02 ± 0.28 | 0.80 ± 0.25 * | 1.13 ± 0.19 * | 0.89 ± 0.18 | 1.04 ± 0.15 * | 13.80 ± 4.63 |
| G3 | Aza_h_i.m. | 10.44 ± 2.46 | 0.27 ± 0.18 * | 0.60 ± 0.22 * | 1.22 ± 0.20 * | 1.16 ± 0.20 | 0.93 ± 0.14 * | 43.95 ± 14.00 * |
| G4 | Aza_h_i.n. | 18.19 ± 4.17 | 1.98 ± 0.42 | 2.19 ± 0.44 | 2.41 ± 0.30 | 1.35 ± 0.22 | 2.01 ± 0.22 | 7.60 ± 2.71 |
| G5 | Aza/Alf_l_i.m. | 8.41 ± 2.03 | 1.24 ± 0.31 | 1.53 ± 0.35 | 1.55 ± 0.23 | 1.40 ± 0.22 | 1.47 ± 0.18 | 6.70 ± 2.41 |
| G6 | Aza/Alf_m_i.m. | 3.89 ± 1.06 * | 0.28 ± 0.18 * | 0.54 ± 0.21 * | 0.67 ± 0.15 * | 1.21 ± 0.21 | 0.74 ± 0.13 * | 27.16 ± 8.81 * |
| G7 | Aza/Alf_h_i.m. | 4.14 ± 1.09 * | 0.08 ± 0.15 * | 0.80 ± 0.24 * | 0.15 ± 0.10 * | 0.69 ± 0.16 | 0.40 ± 0.10 * | 68.33 ± 21.41 * |
| G8 | Aza/Alf_h_i.n. | 10.08 ± 2.36 | 1.03 ± 0.28 | 2.11 ± 0.43 | 1.69 ± 0.24 | 1.14 ± 0.20 | 1.51 ± 0.19 | 8.48 ± 2.93 |
| G9 | Aza/Mid_l_i.m. | 8.51 ± 2.02 | 0.48 ± 0.20 | 1.15 ± 0.30 * | 0.55 ± 0.14 * | 0.79 ± 0.17 * | 0.72 ± 0.13 * | 70.04 ± 21.95 * |
| G10 | Aza/Mid_m_i.m. | 3.82 ± 1.02 * | 0.33 ± 0.18 * | 0.62 ± 0.22 * | 0.49 ± 0.13 * | 0.77 ± 0.16 * | 0.58 ± 0.12 * | 106.08 ± 33.10 * |
| G11 | Aza/Mid_h_i.m. | 4.62 ± 1.19 * | 0.15 ± 0.16 * | 1.21 ± 0.30 | 0.22 ± 0.11 * | 0.65 ± 0.15 * | 0.50 ± 0.11 * | 160.16 ± 49.64 * |
| G12 | Aza/Mid_h_i.n. | 9.95 ± 2.35 | 1.28 ± 0.32 | 2.39 ± 0.47 | 2.18 ± 0.28 | 1.64 ± 0.25 | 1.95 ± 0.22 | 6.80 ± 2.43 |
* Significantly different from the intranasal group (p < 0.05).