ARS | Publication request: EFFECT OF TRANSPORTATION AND COMMINGLING ON THE ACUTE PHASE PROTEIN RESPONSE OF NEWLY WEANED CALVES

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 24, 2001
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Cattle producers often notice that their calves perform well if not commingled prior to or immediately after transport. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of transportation and commingling on the acute phase protein (APP) response (haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, and fibrinogen) in newly weaned calves. Thirty-two calves were randomly allotted to one of four treatments (2x2 factorial design, transportation x commingling). Transported calves were loaded onto trailers within 3h after weaning and shipped for 6h. Commingled calves were penned with out-sourced, newly weaned calves of a similar age. Body wt, rectal temperature, and jugular blood were collected for APP determination at weaning, immediately after shipment (d0), and 1,3 and 7d after arrival. Neither transportation nor commingling affected daily water and feed intake. Transportation, but not commingling, affected BW change by d7 (P<.05). Transported calves had greater (P<.01) plasma fibrinogen concentrations compared to non-transported calves on d0,1,and 7 and in contrast, serum ceruloplasmin concentrations were not greater (P>.05) until d7. Commingling did not influence fibrinogen or ceruloplasmin concentrations. Transport did not effect haptoglobin. Plasma haptoglobin concentrations were higher on d7 in non-commingled calves compared to commingled calves, in contrast to other acute phase proteins. These data show that APPs respond differently to transportation and commingling and the kinetics of those responses are variable among APPs.