** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 15 MILLION CALVES IN THE U.S. EXPERIENCE PAINFUL PROCEDURES SUCH AS CASTRATION. THESE PROCEDURES ARE NECESSARY TO REDUCE AGGRESSION, IMPROVE MEAT QUALITY, AND DECREASE RISK OF INJURY TO OTHER ANIMALS AND CAREGIVERS. HOWEVER, CONCERN ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF PAIN ON ANIMAL WELFARE HAS LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDELINES REQUIRING THE USE OF PAIN RELIEVING DRUGS. UNFORTUNATELY, U.S. FARMERS AND VETERINARIANS ARE CURRENTLY LIMITED IN HOW TO ADDRESS THIS CHALLENGE, IN PART DUE TO THE LACK OF APPROVED PAIN RELIEVING DRUGS. FURTHERMORE, HEAT STRESS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED EFFECTS ON DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND IS DETRIMENTAL TO ANIMAL WELFARE AND PRODUCTIVITY. HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL TEMPERATURES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCTIONS IN FEED INTAKE, MILK YIELD, WEIGHT GAIN AND FERTILITY AND AN INCREASE IN CASES OF LAMENESS. EVEN WITH OPTIMUM HEAT ABATEMENT, ECONOMIC LOSSES FROM HEAT STRESS BY LIVESTOCK INDUSTRIES IN THE U.S. IS ESTIMATED AT $1.7 BILLION ANNUALLY.THE RESEARCH OUTLINED IN THIS PROPOSAL WILL DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE PRIORITIES OF THE WELFARE OF AGRICULTURAL ANIMALS PROGRAM (A1251) BY USING A RANCHER-DEVELOPED, PRECISION FEED INTAKE MEASURING SYSTEM (PFIMS) TO VALIDATE A BOVINE RATE OF CONSUMPTION INDEX (BROCI) AS AN OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF ANIMAL WELFARE. IN DELIVERING THIS OBJECTIVE, THIS PROPOSAL WILL ASSESS THE IMPACT OF (1) PAIN RELIEF, (2) ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF CASTRATION AND (3) THE IMPACT OF HEAT STRESS EVENTS ON THE WELFARE OF BEEF CALVES. OUR OVERARCHING ASSUMPTION IS THAT BROCI CAN BE (1) ACCURATELY MEASURED; (2) CORRELATED WITH PAINFUL AND HEAT STRESS EVENTS; (3) VALIDATED TO SUPPORT ON-FARM ANIMAL WELFARE ASSESSMENT, AND (4) USED AS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEAT REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND PAIN MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS.THESE ASSUMPTIONS WILL BE TESTED THROUGH THREE INDEPENDENT SPECIFIC AIMS:SPECIFIC AIM 1 WILL OPTIMIZE AND VALIDATE BROCI AND RELATED FEEDING BEHAVIORS AS AN OBJECTIVE MEASURE OF ACUTE PAIN AND ANALGESIC DRUG EFFICACY AFTER SURGICAL CASTRATION.SPECIFIC AIM 2 WILL COMPARE THE IMPACT OF SURGICAL AND NON-SURGICAL CASTRATION, NOVEL ANESTHETIC-IMPREGNATED TENSION BANDS, AND A UNIQUE LONG-ACTING SYSTEMIC PAIN-RELIEF DRUG ON BROCI.SPECIFIC AIM 3 WILL OPTIMIZE AND VALIDATE THE BROCI TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF HEAT STRESS EVENTS ON THE WELFARE OF BEEF CALVES.TAKEN TOGETHER, THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE URGENT NEED FOR INNOVATIVE, AUTOMATED AND NONINVASIVE METHODS TO ASSESS HOW CATTLE ARE COPING WITH PAIN AND THERMAL STRESS. MOREOVER, THIS PROPOSAL WILL EXAMINE STATE-OF-THE-ART IMPROVEMENTS FOR PAIN MANAGEMENT AFTER BOVINE CASTRATION.