Effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in Holstein heifers |
| |
| Authors: | Hyeok‐Joong Kang In Kyu Lee Min‐Yu Piao Chae‐Won Kwak Min Jeong Gu Cheol Heui Yun Hyun‐Jin Kim Hyeon‐Ju Ahn Hee‐Bal Kim Gyeom‐Heon Kim Soo‐Ki Kim Jong‐Youl Ko Jong K Ha Myunggi Baik |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea;2. Institutes of Green Bio Science Technology, Seoul, Republic of Korea;3. Department of Animal Science and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea;4. National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, Anseong, Republic of Korea |
| |
| Abstract: | This study examined the effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in dairy heifers. Twenty Holstein heifers in early pregnancy were divided into non‐transported (NT; n = 7) and transported (T; n = 13) groups. Blood was collected before transportation (BT), immediately after transportation for 100 km (T1) and 200 km (T2), and 24 h after transportation (AT). The T heifers had higher (P < 0.05) blood cortisol and non‐esterified fatty acid concentrations after T1 and T2 than did NT heifers. By contrast, the T heifers had lower (P < 0.05) serum triglyceride concentrations after T1 and T2 than had the NT heifers. The serum cortisol and triglyceride concentrations returned (P > 0.05) to the BT concentrations at 24 h AT in the T heifers. The granulocyte‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and the percentage of monocytes were higher (P < 0.05) after T2 in the T heifers than in the NT heifers, suggesting that transportation stress increased the numbers of innate immune cells. T heifers had higher (P < 0.01) plasma haptoglobin concentrations than NT heifers 24 h AT. In conclusion, transportation increased cortisol secretion and was correlated with increased metabolic responses and up‐regulation of peripheral innate immune cells in dairy heifers. |
| |
| Keywords: | dairy heifers early pregnant metabolic and immunological responses stress transportation |
|
|
