Heart rate and heart rate variability of dairy cows with or without local anesthesia

This study examined whether epidural anesthesia affects heart function in dairy cows by measuring heart rate variability (HRV), which indicates how the autonomic nervous system controls the heart. Lidocaine (a local anesthetic) versus saline solution were injected into the epidural space of Holstein-Friesian cows. No significant differences in HRV were found between the two treatments, with similar recovery patterns. This suggests that HRV changes seen during the treatment likely reflect the animal’s stress response rather than effects from the anesthesia itself.