Data and code from: Characterizing neuroma-like formation after tail docking in sheep

Tail docking is a routine husbandry procedure in lambs that causes acute pain. Studies of tail docking performed between 4 and 8 weeks of age have also reported neuromas in the tail stump, which are characterized by aberrant nerve proliferation and fibrotic scarring and represent a potential source of chronic pain. However, it remains unclear whether similar lesions develop after rubber ring docking in the first week of life, the age at which this method is commonly recommended. This study examined the histological characteristics of tail stumps in lambs docked with a constrictive rubber ring at 1-2 days of age compared with undocked controls. Eighteen Polypay female lambs (8 docked, 10 undocked) were slaughtered at 7.5 to 8 months of age and their tails collected and decalcified for histology and immunohistochemistry. Tissues were evaluated for abnormalities characteristic of neuromas followed by blinded semi-quantitative scoring of key histologic features on a 5-point severity scale. ..., , # Supplementary Materials — *Characterizing neuroma-like formation after tail docking in sheep* This repository contains the data and R script used to conduct the descriptive and statistical analyses and create the figures referenced in the paper of the same name. --- ## 📄 Study Overview This study aimed to: 1. Characterize the histomorphology of the tail stump in lambs docked with a rubber ring at 1-2 days of age and examined at slaughter (7.5-8 months of age), compared to age-matched undocked controls 2. Compare the degree of neuroma formation in docked sheep vs. undocked sheep using semi-quantitative methods **Subjects:** Eighteen Polypay ewe lambs were randomly assigned to one of two docking treatments: 1. Docked using the rubber ring method at 1-2 days of age (n = 8) 2. Undocked controls (n = 10) **Tissue processing and histology:** All ewes were euthanized at 7.8 ± 0.2 months of age (mean ± SD) and their tails collected and decalcified for histology. FFPE sections were sta..., ,羔羊断尾是一种常规畜牧生产操作，可引发急性疼痛。针对4~8周龄羔羊断尾的相关研究已报道尾残端存在神经瘤，这类病变以异常神经增殖与纤维化瘢痕为特征，可能是慢性疼痛的潜在来源。然而，目前尚不清楚出生第一周使用橡胶环断尾（该方法的常规推荐使用年龄）后，是否会出现类似病变。本研究对比了1~2日龄时采用缩窄橡胶环断尾的羔羊与未断尾对照组羔羊的尾残端组织学特征。本研究共纳入18只波莱帕绵羊（Polypay）母羔，其中断尾组8只、未断尾对照组10只，于7.5~8月龄时屠宰，收集尾组织并进行脱钙处理，用于组织学与免疫组化（immunohistochemistry）检测。对组织开展神经瘤特征性异常评估，并采用盲法半定量评分法，以5级严重程度评分体系对关键组织学特征进行评分。…… # 补充材料——*绵羊断尾后类神经瘤形成的表征* 本仓库包含了同名论文中描述性与统计分析所用的数据、R脚本，以及论文中提及的图表绘制所需代码。 --- ## 📄 研究概述 本研究旨在达成以下两项目标： 1. 表征1~2日龄接受橡胶环断尾、并于7.5~8月龄屠宰时采样的羔羊尾残端的组织形态学特征，并与同月龄未断尾对照组进行对比 2. 通过半定量方法对比断尾绵羊与未断尾绵羊的神经瘤形成程度 **实验对象：** 18只波莱帕绵羊（Polypay）母羔被随机分配至两种处理组： 1. 于1~2日龄时采用橡胶环法断尾（n=8） 2. 未断尾对照组（n=10） **组织处理与组织学检测：** 所有母羔均于7.8±0.2月龄（平均值±标准差）时实施安乐死，收集尾组织并进行脱钙处理以开展组织学检测。福尔马林固定石蜡包埋（FFPE）切片经sta..., ,