Cortisol and β-endorphin responses to physical and psychological stressors in lambs

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Mears ◽  
F. A. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Psychological Stressors ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Ram Lambs ◽  
Potential Use

Plasma cortisol, β-endorphin, T3 and T4 were determined in lambs before, during and after exposure to stress in order to evaluate the potential use of these hormones to objectively measure stress responses. Lambs were exposed to tail-docking, castration, weaning, isolation, and restraint stress. Twelve ewe and 24 ram lambs were assigned to the experiment, with 12 of the ram lambs surgically castrated when 3-wk old. Tail docking within 24 h of birth did not (P > 0.05) elevate either plasma cortisol or β-endorphin. Castration markedly elevated (P < 0.001) plasma cortisol and β-endorphin within 15 min of surgery. Both hormones were highly elevated for the first 4 h. Plasma cortisol returned to control levels by 24 h whereas β-endorphin was still elevated (P < 0.05) 24 h after castration. Plasma cortisol levels were elevated for the first 60 min following weaning (P < 0.005) and again at 24 h after dam removal (P < 0.001). Plasma β-endorphin was not elevated (P > 0.05) any time during the 72 h following weaning. Plasma cortisol (P < 0.001) and β-endorphin (P < 0.05) were elevated during the first 60 min following the start of 1 h of isolation. Results were similar for partial and total isolation. No effects of isolation were found for the next 23 h. Plasma cortisol (P < 0.005) was elevated during the first 30 min following 4 min of shearing-like restraint, whereas plasma β-endorphin was elevated only at 7 min (P < 0.05) after restraint began. No further effects of restraint were found prior to termination of sample collection at 24 h. None of the stressors employed affected plasma concentrations of T3 and T4. This study has shown that measurements of plasma cortisol and β-endorphin in blood samples obtained before, during and after stress are useful in assessing stress in lambs. The painful stressor, castration, induced marked and prolonged elevations of both hormones, whereas psychological stressors elicited graded, short-term cortisol responses and limited β-endorphin responses. Key words: Cortisol, β-endorphin, physical stress, psychological stress, lambs

Heart rate responses and plasma cortisol concentrations in ewes: comparison between cervical and laparoscopic intrauterine insemination and their associated handling procedures

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 383-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Khalid ◽  
W. Haresign ◽  
D. G. Bradley
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Intrauterine Insemination ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Mean Heart Rate

AbstractThis study consisted of two experiments. In experiment 1, stress responses of sheep which were restrained either in a laparoscopy cradle or a roll-over cradle were compared. The results of this experiment indicated that restraint in roll-over cradle is less (P < 0·05) stressful than that in a laparoscopy cradle when assessed in terms of the elevation and duration of both the mean heart rate and plasma cortisol responses. Experiment 2 compared the stress responses of sheep subjected to restraint in a laparoscopy cradle, restraint in a laparoscopy cradle with intrauterine artificial insemination (AI) by laparoscopy, minimal restraint with cervical AI or restraint in a roll-over cradle plus foot-trimming. All treatments resulted in significant elevations in both heart rate and plasma cortisol concentrations (F < 0·001). The peak heart rate was significantly (P < 0·05) higher in ewes subjected to cervical AI than in those subjected to intrauterine insemination, with other treatments intermediate. The peak cortisol response did not differ among different treatments. The duration over which both the mean heart rate and -plasma cortisol concentrations remained significantly elevated above pre-treatment concentrations did not differ among treatment groups. The results of this study suggest that while restraint using a laparoscopy cradle is more stressful than that using a rollover cradle, the stress inflicted by intrauterine insemination by laparoscopy itself is no greater than that due to restraint using the laparoscopy cradle alone, cervical AI or the management practice offoot-trimming using a rollover cradle.

scholarly journals Thermal, cardiorespiratory and cortisol responses of impala (Aepyceros melampus) to chemical immobilisation with 4 different drug combinations

2008 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
L.C.R. Meyer ◽  
R.S. Hetem ◽  
L.G. Fick ◽  
A. Matthee ◽  
D. Mitchell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Temperature ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Respiratory Rhythm ◽  
Drug Combinations ◽  
Temperature Changes ◽  
Data Loggers ◽  
Body Temperature Change ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Aepyceros Melampus

Thermometric data loggers were surgically implanted in 15 impala (Aepyceros melampus) to investigate the consequences of chemical capture. Impala were darted and chemically immobilised for 30 min with each of the following drug combinations: etorphine and azaperone; etorphine and medetomidine; thiafentanil and azaperone, and a thiafentanil medetomidine combination. During immobilisation, pulse oximeter readings, respiratory rhythm, the plane of immobilisation and plasma cortisol concentrations were measured and recorded. The impala developed an extremely high rise in body temperature, which peaked 20-30 min after reversal of the immobilisation. The magnitude of the rise in body temperature was similar for all the drug combinations (F=0.8, P=0.5), but the duration of the hyperthermia was shorter when the thiafentanil and azaperone combination was used(F=3.35, P<0.05). Changes in body temperature were related to the time that it took for ananimal to become recumbent after darting (r2 = 0.45, P = 0.006) and not to the effect of the drug combination on time to recumbency (r2 = 0.29, P = 0.46). The relationship between time to recumbency and body temperature change, and also to plasma cortisol concentration(r2=0.67,P=0.008), indicated that physiological consequences of capture were related to the duration of exposure to a stress or, and not to the pharmacology of the capture drugs. Although shorter time to recumbency in individuals resulted in the benefit of smaller stress responses and body temperature changes, those individuals were predisposed to developing hypoxia and possibly induction apnoea. When animals are chemically immobilised,reducing the thermal consequences of capture requires limiting the exposure of the animal to a psychological 'fright stress'.

Physiological and behavioural responses to short-haul transport by stock trailer in finished steers

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. E. Booth-McLean ◽  
K. S. Schwartzkopf-Genswein ◽  
F. A. Brown ◽  
C. L. Holmes ◽  
A. L. Schaefer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Cortisol Concentration ◽  
Physiological Data ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Plasma Cortisol Concentration ◽  
A Value ◽  
Radio Transmitters

Nineteen British cross-bred steers (623 ± 10.6 kg) were transported in groups of four or five for 3 h and returned to their home pens. Jugular cannulas, heart rate (HR; BPM) monitors and radio transmitters were used to non-invasively collect physiological data. Heart rate (n = 13) was lower during highway travel (83.5 ± 3.15, P > 0.05) compared with pre-loading (118.9 ± 3.19, P < 0.01) and off-loading (97.5 ± 4.47) but was not different from travel in town (88.8 ± 2.90). Plasma cortisol concentration (µg dL-1, n = 16) increased from pre-loading (1.87 ± 0.28) to off-loading (3.10 ± 0.28, P < 0.02) and decreased to 1.16 ± 0.28 µg dL-1 by 1 h after off-loading (P < 0.001), a value not different from pre-loading levels. Body temperature measured at offloading was 0.19°C higher (P < 0.001) than at pre-loading. No differences in the time spent eating and ruminating were observed when compared between a 1-h period 1 d prior to transport and the same time of day post-transport (P > 0.50). Increases in HR (P < 0.01) and lying time (P < 0.001) post-transport compared with the days prior suggest cattle experienced some fatigue. Mild, short-term stress responses were observed in finished steers exposed to 3 h of transportation. Key words: Cortisol, heart rate, hematocrit, behaviour, steers, transportation

Effects of tail docking and castration on stress responses in lambs and the influence of prenatal glucocorticoid treatment

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaofu Li ◽  
Ilias Nitsos ◽  
Graeme R. Polglase ◽  
John P. Newnham ◽  
John R. G. Challis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prenatal Exposure ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Female Offspring ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Glucocorticoid Treatment ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
In Pregnancy

It is common practice in Australian agriculture to remove the tails of lambs to prevent infection and to castrate males to prevent behavioural problems and unwanted reproduction. We have studied the pain and stress responses to these interventions by measuring changes in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and β-endorphin levels. Further, we have evaluated the effects of prenatal exposure to dexamethasone, which is known to affect the developing HPA axis. In control animals that had received prenatal saline treatment, plasma cortisol and adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) levels increased after the interventions in both females and males. Plasma β-endorphin levels also increased after the interventions, but the responses were less consistent. Prenatal dexamethasone exposure early in pregnancy (dexamethasone 0.14 mg kg–1 ewe weight injection commenced on day 40 of pregnancy for four consecutive intramuscular injections at 12-hourly intervals) blunted the cortisol response to tail docking in female offspring, but not to combined tail docking and castration in males. It had no effect on ACTH or β-endorphin responses in either sex. These findings describe the stress responses to these common agricultural interventions and suggest that long-term development of the HPA axis in females is altered by prenatal exposure to dexamethasone.

Behavioural, health and cortisol responses of young calves to tail docking using a rubber ring or docking iron

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Tom ◽  
J. Rushen ◽  
I. J. H. Duncan ◽  
A. M. de Passillé
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Body Temperature ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Milk Intake ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Rubber Ring ◽  
Ring Group ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Cortisol Responses

The acute responses of thirty-six 7- to 17-d-old Holstein calves to tail docking using a rubber ring or a hot docking iron were examined. Plasma cortisol concentrations were measured on day 0 and day +1. Behaviour was examined on days –1, 0, +1, +2, and +5 after treatment. Milk intake, weight gain, body temperature and faeces scores were monitored. Rubber ring application caused an increase in tail grooming up to day +5 after treatment. Shorter standing and lying periods as well as higher frequencies of standing and lying on day 0 were seen in the rubber ring group. No significant differences in behaviour were observed between the control group and the docking iron group. No significant differences in plasma cortisol concentrations were found between any groups except for 60 min after treatment when the rubber ring group exhibited a significantly higher concentration than the control group. No differences in milk intake, weight gain, body temperature or faeces score were found. Tail docking with a rubber ring causes a more pronounced behavioural and physiological response than docking with a docking iron. However, long-term effects need to be investigated. Key words: Calves, tail docking, pain, behaviour, cortisol, stress

scholarly journals A sex difference in the cortisol response to tail docking and ACTH develops between 1 and 8 weeks of age in lambs

2006 ◽  
Vol 188 (3) ◽  
pp. 443-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
A I Turner ◽  
B J Hosking ◽  
R A Parr ◽  
A J Tilbrook
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Tail Docking ◽  
Response To Stress ◽  
Cortisol Responses

It is important to understand factors that may influence responses to stress, as these factors may also influence vulnerability to pathologies that can develop when stress responses are excessive or prolonged. It is clear that, in adults, the sex of an individual can influence the cortisol response to stress in a stressor specific manner. Nevertheless, the stage of development at which these sex differences emerge is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that there are sex differences in the cortisol response to tail docking and ACTH in lambs of 1 and 8 weeks of age. We also established cortisol responses in males when tail docking was imposed alone and in combination with castration at these ages. In experiment 1, 1 and 8 week old male and female lambs were subjected to sham handling, tail docking or, in males, a combination of tail docking and castration. In experiment 2, we administered ACTH (1.0 IU/kg) to male and female lambs at 1 and 8 weeks of age. There were significant cortisol responses to all treatments at both ages. Sex differences in the cortisol responses to tail docking and ACTH developed between 1 and 8 weeks of age, with females having greater responses than males. The data suggest that the mechanism for the sex difference in response to tail docking may involve the adrenal glands. At both ages, in males, the cortisol response to the combined treatment of tail docking and castration was significantly greater than that for tail docking alone.

scholarly journals Tail Docking of Piglets 1: Stress Response of Piglets to Tail Docking

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Morrison ◽  
Paul Hemsworth
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Treatment Duration ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Total Plasma ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Tail Docking

This experiment compared the stress responses of piglets to tail docking. Two hundred and eighty-eight piglets were allocated to the following treatments at 2 d post-farrowing: (1) sham handling treatment; (2) surgical castration; (3) tail docking using clippers; (4) tail docking using a cauterising iron. Blood samples were collected at 15 min, 30 min and 24 h post-treatment and analysed for total plasma cortisol. Behaviours indicative of pain, such as escape attempts, vocalisations and standing with head lowered were measured. Cortisol concentrations at 15 min post-treatment were higher (p < 0.001) in the tail docking and castration treatment groups than the sham handling treatment group, but at 30 min post-treatment, only the clipper and castration treatment groups had higher (p < 0.001) cortisol concentrations than the sham handling treatment. Duration of vocalisations and escape attempts were greater (p < 0.0001) during the castration treatment than the sham and tail docking treatments, but these behaviours occurred less (p < 0.05) in tail-docked piglets than those that were castrated. Piglets undergoing the tail-docked treatments and the castration treatment exhibited more behaviours indicative of pain, such as standing longer (p < 0.05) with the head lowered in the 60 min after treatment, than those in the sham handling treatment group. There were no treatment effects on cortisol concentrations and behaviour at 23–24 h post-treatment. The physiological results at 30 min post-treatment indicate that tail docking with cauterisation may be less aversive than tail docking with clippers.

Heart rate responses and plasma cortisol and (β-endorphin concentrations in ewes subjected to laparoscopy and its associated handling procedures

1995 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Haresign ◽  
R. J. Williams ◽  
M. Khalid ◽  
R. Rodway
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Factorial Design ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Heart Rate Response ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Cortisol Responses ◽  
Effect Of Treatment ◽  
Intra Uterine Insemination

AbstractTwo experiments were performed to monitor the stress responses of sheep to intra-uterine insemination by laparoscopy and its associated handling procedures. The results of experiment 1 indicated that both restraint alone and full laparoscopic intra-uterine insemination in animals which had been sedated with 0·2 mg/kg diazepam promoted similar, significant (P < 0·001) short-lived increase in heart rate and plasma cortisol concentrations, but there was no effect of treatment on plasma β-endorphin concentrations. Experiment 2 compared restraint and full laparoscopy, with and without sedation in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The heart rate and cortisol responses following restraint and full laparoscopy were not significantly different, although laparoscopy tended (P = 0·06) to increase the duration of the heart rate response. Sedation with diazepam significantly (P<0·05) increased the duration of the heart rate response but attenuated (P < 0·05) the amplitude of the cortisol response. These results indicate that laparoscopic intra-uterine insemination does cause sheep to mount a typical stress response, but that most of this is attributable to the restraint required to effect insemination. However, the magnitude of the stress responses recorded were much lower than those reported to follow many other husbandry procedures.

Effects of prolonged administration of a β-agonist drug, ritodrine, on cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine responses to adrenaline in growing ram lambs

1993 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Bassett
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Plasma Glucose ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Continuous Intravenous Infusion ◽  
Plasma Growth Hormone ◽  
Prolonged Administration ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Endogenous Catecholamines ◽  
Ram Lambs ◽  
Β Receptor

SUMMARYFive Suffolk crossbred ram lambs were administered ritodrine, a β2-agonist drug, by continuous intravenous infusion at 0·5 μg/kg per min for 9 days to determine effects of prolonged β-agonist infusion on metabolism and on the responsiveness of the animals to short-term infusions of adrenaline. Consistent with other investigations, this study showed that initially the drug caused rapid increases in heart rate and plasma concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA), lactate and insulin, but decreased plasma growth hormone. There was no effect on plasma glucose or pancreatic glucagon concentrations. After 24 h of ritodrine infusion, these effects were attenuated as tachyphylaxis to the drug developed. On days 2–9 of the infusion, heart rate remained significantly higher than preinfusion values, but plasma glucose concentration was significantly lower than before infusion. Despite the rapid disappearance of these ‘side-effects’ of the drug and the apparent normality of most metabolic parameters, short-term infusion of adrenaline (50 ng/kg per min for 60 min then 500 ng/kg per min for a further 60 min) after 9 days of ritodrine infusion showed that the responses of lactate, FFA and heart rate to adrenaline were significantly attenuated in comparison with the responses determined before β-agonist infusion. This result, together with similar earlier observations on fetal lambs, implies that selective attenuation of β-receptor mediated cardiovascular, metabolic and endocrine responses to the endogenous catecholamines could play an important role in determining how β-agonist drugs act to modify carcass development.

scholarly journals Remote blood collection in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L): a preliminary study

Rangifer ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Wiklund ◽  
P.J. Goddard ◽  
C. Rehbinder
Keyword(s):  
Total Protein ◽  
Alanine Aminotransferase ◽  
Plasma Cortisol ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Plasma Concentrations ◽  
Blood Sampling ◽  
Blood Collection ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Preliminary Study

Automatic blood sampling equipment (ABSE) was used successfully to collect blood samples from two reindeer. During blood sampling, two methods of restraint were applied which caused no short term changes in plasma concentrations of urea, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase or total protein. Plasma Cortisol concentrations were significantly elevated by the two restraint techniques. The value of ABSE in studies of stress in reindeer is discussed.

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