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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #237831
Title: Use of an automated sampler to assess bovine adrenal hormone response to transportation

Author
item BURDICK, NICOLE - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item RANDEL, RON - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item WILLARD, SCOTT - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item VANN, RHONDA - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV
item Chase, Chadwick - Chad
item NEUENDORFF, DON - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item LEWIS, ANDY - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item Dailey, Jeffery
item Hulbert, Lindsey
item CALDWELL, LISA - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item LYONS, JENNY - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH
item WELSH JR, TOM - TEXAS AGRILIFE RESEARCH

Submitted to: Joint Abstracts of the American Dairy Science and Society of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/18/2009
Publication Date: 10/18/2009
Citation: Burdick, N., Carroll, J.A., Randel, R., Willard, S., Vann, R., Chase, C.C., Neuendorff, D., Lewis, A., Dailey, J.W., Hulbert, L.E., Caldwell, L., Lyons, J., Welsh Jr, T. 2009. Use of an automated sampler to assess bovine adrenal hormone response to transportation [abstract]. Annual meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, July 12-16, 2009, Montreal, Canada. Journal of Animal Science. 87(E-Supplement 2):#388.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Automated blood sampling would aid characterization of acute endocrine responses to transportation procedures. In this study, the IceSampler™ device was programmed to collect blood samples via jugular catheter from the herd's 7 calmest (C; temperament score=0.84±0.03) and 8 most temperamental (T; temperament score=3.37±0.18) 10-month-old Brahman bull calves at 15- and 30-min time intervals relative to transportation. Bulls were fitted with indwelling jugular catheters, rectal thermometer probes, and heart rate monitors and were then transported. Bulls were loaded onto a trailer that contained individual stalls. The trailer remained stationary for 120 min to allow for acclimation. After initiation of transportation at time 0, bulls were transported (390 Km roundtrip) for 480 min at an average speed of 91 Km/h. Plasma concentrations of cortisol, epinephrine (EPI), and norepinephrine (NE) were determined by RIA and by EIA, respectively. Data were analyzed using ANOVA specific for repeated measures. Rectal temperature increased over time (38.3±0.2 and 39.3±0.2 deg C pre- and post-transport, respectively; P<0.01), but was not affected by temperament (P>0.10). Heart rate remained steady in C bulls (mean = 100.8±26.2 bpm), but varied over time in T bulls (time*temperament P<0.01). Cortisol concentration increased (P<0.01) in C bulls (18.6±5.5 at time 0 to 44.6±5.7 ng/mL at 15 min), but not T bulls (mean = 36.8±3.2 ng/mL) in response to the initiation of transportation at time 0. Concentrations of EPI remained unchanged in C bulls (mean = 43.7±15.4 pg/mL) throughout the sampling period, but decreased in T bulls (235.7±32.1 and 78.6±54.2 pre- and post-transport, respectively P<0.05) whereas NE concentrations were not affected (P>0.10) by transportation or temperament (mean = 267.19±48.2 and 261.3±49.8 for C and T bulls, respectively). These data suggest that temperament affects the stress response to transportation. The use of remote samplers allows us to detect specific indices of transportation stress, and to discern that although some changes were attributable to handling stress and temperament, the transportation process was not equally stressful within temperament groups.