Brainstem auditory evoked responses: Objective hearing threshold assessment in Holstein cows.
Alida Naudé, Lize-Mari Erasmus, Liesl De Swardt and 2 others
PMID 39494638WHAT IT FOUND
In Holstein cows, brainstem hearing responses were obtained at 90 to 100 dB SPL in all cows and at 85 dB SPL in nine cows.
No responses appeared below that level.
Key findings
01All cows had identifiable wave V responses at 90 to 100 dB SPL, and nine cows had responses at 85 dB SPL, with no responses below that level.
02No significant differences were observed in absolute wave latencies or interpeak latencies between the left and right ears.
03At the highest tested intensity, mean absolute latencies for wave I and wave V were 1.56 ms and 4.74 ms, with mean I-V interpeak latency 3.16 ms.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
Only 10 cows, with 20 ears, were tested, so these are preliminary animal values rather than a broad standard. The paper states that there is no universally standardised BAER threshold criterion for cows, so the chosen method may affect the reported thresholds. The clicks mainly stimulated 2000 Hz to 4000 Hz, so the study may not show how cows hear lower-frequency farm noises. The study was in cows, not people, so it does not support human hearing assessment or therapy decisions.
Declared interests
The authors state that the research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
The easy way to misread this
Do not use these cow hearing test thresholds as human hearing norms. The study tested cows, not people, and it says animal audiology is not recognised within the scope of practice for audiologists in South Africa.