Metrology and control of visceral pain in dairy cattle: behavioral, physiological and proteomic determinants

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The "pain-complex" comprises a primary, sensory process - the sensation of pain or nociception - with superadded, a series of "psycho-physiological" alarm and defense reactions. More particularly, all individual will develop a personal memory of nociception modulated by previous experiences of pain and possible nociceptive hypersensitization. We first hypothesized that pain response to the sensitization of the nociceptive system can be detected, elucidated and quantified, even in species not reputed to be highly expressive. Our second hypothesis is that an adequate management of pain will attenuate chronic hypersensitization and its morbid consequences; it will improve animal welfare and its impact on animal productivity. To test these two hypotheses, we propose a series of translational experimental approaches. On an experimental model of visceral pain in cows, we propose to validate behavioral and physiological pain assessment methods in terms of specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility, as well as to evaluate the impact of pain on dairy cattle productivity. We hypothesized, based on the data from a pilot study, that neurological conditions, including pain sensitization, will give rise to alterations of the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) proteome. We want to take advantage of our model in dairy cattle to largely explore the neuroproteomic biomarkers related to pain. Therefore, we would be apt to dress an exhaustive behavioral, physiological and proteomic profile of visceral pain in cows. We will apply this knowledge to study biological function of CSF nociceptive biomarkers in the mouse using transgenic models and to assess their potential value as diagnostic tools. This would open the door to new avenues in pain management with important consequences on animal welfare.