Time lag between peak concentrations of plasma and salivary cortisol following a stressful procedure in dairy cattle

Background

Measurement of salivary cortisol has been used extensively as a non-invasive alternative to blood sampling to assess adrenal activity in ruminants. However, there is evidence suggesting a considerable delay in the transfer of cortisol from plasma into saliva. Previous studies in cattle have used long sampling intervals making it difficult to characterise the relationship between plasma and salivary cortisol (PLCort and SACort, respectively) concentrations at different time points and determine whether or not such a time lag exist in large ruminants. Therefore, the objective of this study was to characterise the relationship between plasma and salivary cortisol and determine if there is a significant time lag between reaching peak cortisol concentrations in plasma and saliva across a 4.25 h time-period, using short sampling intervals of 10–15 min, following social separation in dairy cattle.Five cows were separated from their calves at 4 days after calving, and six calves were separated from a group of four peers at 8 weeks of age. Following separation, the animals were moved to an unfamiliar surrounding where they could not see their calves or pen mates. The animals were catheterised with indwelling jugular catheters 1 day before sampling. Blood and saliva samples were obtained simultaneously before and after separation.

Results

In response to the stressors, PLCort and SACort increased reaching peak concentrations 10 and 20 min after separation, respectively. This suggested a 10 min time lag between peak cortisol concentrations in plasma and saliva, which was further confirmed with a time-series analysis. Considering the 10 min time lag, SACort was strongly correlated with PLCort (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Salivary cortisol correlates well with plasma cortisol and is a good indicator of the time-dependent variations in cortisol concentrations in plasma following acute stress. However, there is a time lag to reach peak cortisol concentrations in saliva compared to those in plasma, which should be considered when saliva samples are used as the only measure of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis response to stress in cattle.     

Road transportation affects blood hormone levels and lymphocyte glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic receptor concentrations in calves

The effect of transportation on blood cortisol and catecholamine levels, lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and beta-adrenergic receptor (beta-AR) concentrations was investigated in calves. Blood samples were collected from 24 six-month-old calves before departure (T(0)), on arrival (T(1)), and at 24 h (T(2)) and one week (T(3)) after arrival. Animals were loaded and transported about 950 km, from the Midy-Pyrenes region (Cahors, France) to the Piedmont region (Italy), over a total of 14 h. Serum cortisol levels and plasma catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Lymphocyte GRs and beta-ARs were measured through binding assays. A significant (P < 0.05) increase in cortisol and catecholamine concentrations was observed immediately after transport. The increase in hormone levels at time T(1) was negatively correlated with lymphocyte GR and beta-AR concentrations. At times T(2) and T(3), blood cortisol and catecholamine levels and lymphocyte GRs and beta-ARs returned to normal. The results demonstrate the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the catecholaminergic system in long-term transported calves. However, these systems returned to normal within 24 h after the end of transport.     

犊牛阿维菌素中毒的组织病理学观察

本试验应用常规石蜡切片技术,H.E染色镜检观察阿维菌素中毒犊牛的心脏、肝脏、脾脏、肺脏、肾脏、肠系膜淋巴结、空肠、瘤胃8个组织器官,结果表明:各脏器主要病理变化是出血和瘀血;心肌纤维断裂、变性坏死,间质内充满大量炎性细胞;肝脏实质细胞肿胀,脂肪变性,叶间静脉内出现均质红染浆液;肺泡内有浆液渗出;肾小管凝固性坏死,肾小球肿胀,间质内出现水肿液;淋巴结淋巴中心细胞坏死。这些器管组织的损伤变化,有助于进一步探索阿维菌素中毒的发病机制及病理特征,从而为及时对发病动物进行确诊治疗提供形态学依据。     

Comparative pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin in healthy and Mannheimia haemolytica infected calves

The pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin were investigated in healthy (n=8) and Mannheimia haemolytica naturally infected (n=8) Simmental ruminant calves following intravenous (i.v.) and intramuscular (i.m.) administration of 2 mg kg(-1) body weight. The concentration of marbofloxacin in plasma was measured using high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Following i.v. administration of the drug, the elimination half-life (t(1/2 beta)) and mean residence time (MRT) were significantly longer in diseased calves (8.2h; 11.13 h) than in healthy ones (4.6 h; 6.1 h), respectively. The value of total body clearance (CL(B)) was larger in healthy calves (3 ml min(-1) kg(-1)) than in diseased ones (1.3 ml min(-1) kg(-1)). After single intramuscular (i.m.) administration of the drug, the elimination half-life, mean residence time (MRT) and maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) were higher in diseased calves (8.0, 12 h, 2.32 microg ml(-1)) than in healthy ones (4.7, 7.4 h, 1.4 microg ml(-1)), respectively. The plasma concentrations and AUC following administration of the drug by both routes were significantly higher in diseased calves than in healthy ones. Protein binding of Marbofloxacin was not significantly different in healthy and diseased calves. The mean value for MIC of marbofloxacin for M. haemolytica was 0.1+/-0.06 microg ml(-1). The C(max)/MIC and AUC(24)/MIC ratios were significantly higher in diseased calves (13.0-64.4 and 125-618 h) than in healthy calves (8-38.33 and 66.34-328 h). The obtained results for surrogate markers of antimicrobial activity (C(max)/MIC, AUC/MIC and T > or = MIC) indicate the excellent pharmacodynamic characteristics of the drug in diseased calves with M. haemolytica, which can be expected to optimize the clinical efficacy and minimize the development of resistance.     

An investigation into the role of Chlamydophila spp. in bovine upper respiratory tract disease

An outbreak of upper respiratory tract disease was investigated in a group of 17 housed home-bred calves on a mixed dairy, beef and sheep farm in Devon. Conjunctival swabs were collected and tested for Chlamydophila spp. DNA using a PCR test that detects Chlamydophila abortus and Chlamydophila psittaci. Six of the calves tested gave a positive result. Further epidemiological observations and laboratory testing indicated that the adult dairy cows, from which the affected calves originated, were the most likely source of infection.     

G and P genotype profiles of rotavirus A field strains circulating in beef and dairy cattle herds in Brazil, 2006–2015

The aim of this retrospective study was to use RT-PCR and nucleotide sequencing analysis to determine the G (VP7 gene) and P (VP4 gene) genotypes of 155 Brazilian bovine rotavirus A (RVA) wild-type strains detected in diarrheic calves from all Brazilian geographical regions from 2006 to 2015. The RVA strains evaluated belonged to the G6, G10, P[5], and P[11] genotypes. The G6P[5] genotype was prevalent (65.5%; P < 0.05) in beef, and the G10P[11] (38.4%) and G6P[11] (30.8%) genotypes were more prevalent in dairy cattle herds. The Midwest was the region with the highest number of genotyped RVA strains, where the genotypes G6, P[5], and P[11] were identified. Genotype combination G6-IV/P[5]-IX, prevalent in beef herds, and G6-III/P[11]-III or G10-IV/P[11]-III, prevalent in dairy herds, were detected. In addition, for the first time in Brazil, we detected the P[5] and P[11] genotype RVA strains that belong to lineage II and VII, respectively.     

发酵中药渣对犊牛生长发育和健康状况的影响

[目的]为研究发酵中药渣对犊牛生长发育、健康状况的影响。[方法]在宁夏固原市肉牛良种繁育示范园随机选取150头犊牛作为试验牛群,采用配对试验设计,试验分为对照组和发酵中药渣组。[结果]日粮中添加发酵中药渣,犊牛采食量增加0.09 kg,日增重增加0.09 kg,料重比(F/G)减少0.06 kg;体重多增加5.2 kg,提高4.4% ,体高、胸围、体斜长分别增长 4.2 cm、5.6 cm、4.4cm,分别提高了4.5%、5.1%、4.1%;试验组滨州筛第 1,2 层筛上物比例下降,说明犊牛消化能力增加,饲料消化率提高;血液总蛋白和白蛋白含量均显著高于对照组;谷丙转氨酶含量显著低于对照组;谷胱甘肽、过氧化物歧化酶、免疫球蛋白G含量显著高于对照组。[结论]在犊牛日粮中添加发酵中药渣可增加犊牛的采食量和日增重,提高饲料报酬,提高血清总蛋白,降低谷丙转氨酶水平,增加过氧化物歧化酶活性,提高犊牛免疫力。     

产奶量遗传潜力不同的荷斯坦犊牛在代谢刺激下的生理反应

按系统指数（ＰＩ：Ｐｅｄｉｇｒｅｅ Ｉｎｄｅｘ）的高低将１１９头北京荷斯坦犊牛分成两组（ＰＩ〉５００为高组，ＰＩ〈５００为低组），其中３８头犊牛（５头公牛的后代）具有高系谱指数，平均值为７１８．５，８１头犊牛（１０头公牛的后代）具有低系谱指数，平均值为４００．５。犊牛为３～６月龄，在禁食３４～３６ｈ状态下采血，检测它们血液中总蛋白（ＴＰ）、尿素氮（ＢＵＮ）、肌酸酐（ＣＲＥ）、游离脂肪酸（ＦＦＡ）的     

犊牛常见病的诊治体会

犊牛的健康关系着牛场的未来生产。本文介绍了几种犊牛常见病的辨别及诊断方法,帮助牛场快速进行疾病判断。作者对几种疾病的病因、临床症状、诊断方式、治疗方法进行综述,旨在为犊牛的常见病的防控和选择治疗药物提供参考依据。     

缩短犊牛断奶日龄以提高经济效益

采用 10头初生犊牛 ,分为 2组 ,每组各 5头 ,分别进行 4 0日龄 (试验组 )和 10 0日龄 (对照组 )断奶试验。试验组 4 0日龄断奶后用代乳料喂至 10 0日龄 ,然后与对照组一起采食普通草料。结果 :两组犊牛各阶段体尺、体重、发病率 ,成活率的差异均不显著。而成本核算试验组每头犊牛的培育成本降低 5 2 5元