Hair cortisol as a marker of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation in Friesian dairy cows clinically or physiologically compromised

This study was designed to assess hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation in lactating cows clinically or physiologically compromised. Cortisol was measured in the hair of 475 multiparous cows of Italian Friesian breed. The cows were classified into Groups A (n=218) and B (n=257). Group A included cows clinically compromised that had recently suffered a disease (e.g. metritis, laminitis, mastitis) or physiologically compromised that calved 1 month prior to hair sampling. Group B were clinically normal lactating cows at least 60 days after calving with somatic cell counts of less than 200,000 cells/ml in milk. Animals in Group A showed higher hair cortisol levels than those in Group B (P<0.01). Significant positive correlation (rpb=+0.352, P<0.001) was detected between hair cortisol and cows clinically or physiologically compromised. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.701 (SE 0.024) and a cut-off value of 4.17 pg/mg was found to discriminate between groups A and B with a sensitivity of 62.4% and specificity of 69.3%. The hair cortisol test emerged as useful to determine HPA activation and to enhance current understanding on the involvement of this axis in clinically or physiologically compromised cows.     

The Effect of Temperature,Rainfall, and Light Conditions on Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Newborn Foals

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible effects of environmental factors such as temperature, rainfall, and light conditions on hair cortisol concentrations in foals during the perinatal period. The study, performed during three consecutive foaling seasons from January to July, enrolled 219 foals from one farm. Hair samples were collected from each foal immediately after birth and at 30 days of age, and the samples were analyzed by radioimmunoassay to measure the cortisol concentrations. The mean cortisol concentration of hair collected at 30 days of age was significantly (P < .01) lower than that found at birth, but none of the evaluated environmental factors (temperature, rainfall, or day length) influenced the hair cortisol concentrations.     

Early post mortem expression of genes related to tenderization in two Italian Simmental young bulls' skeletal muscles differing in contractile type

The early post mortem expression of eight genes potentially involved in meat ageing process and the tenderness of two Italian Simmental young bulls' (Bos taurus) skeletal muscles differing in their contractile type were evaluated. Samples of Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Infraspinatus (IS) muscles were collected from 17 bulls. The messenger RNA (mRNA) abundances of calpain‐1, calpain‐2, calpastatin, caspase 3, caspase 9, heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27), Hsp40 and Hsp70 were detected by quantitative PCR. The myosin heavy chain‐slow and ‐fast isoform content, the pH_48h and the lipid content of the muscles were in line with the contractile and metabolic type. In comparison with the fast LL, the slow IS showed a lower calpain‐1/calpastatin mRNA content ratio after slaughtering and a higher Warner‐Bratzler Initial Yield value after 7 days of ageing. Hsp27 and Hsp70 mRNA abundances were significantly lower in LL than IS, highlighting their potential role in the ageing process of bovine muscles.     

Dietary supplementation of Aspergillus oryzae meal and its effect on performance,carcass characteristics,blood variables,and immunity of broiler chickens

Tropical Animal Health and Production - This study investigated the effect of different levels and consumption periods of Aspergillus oryzae meal on performance, carcass characteristics, blood...     

Assessment of calpain and caspase systems activities during ageing of two bovine muscles by degradation patterns of αII spectrin and PARP‐1

The activities of calpain and caspase systems during ageing in Longissimus lumborum (LL) and Infraspinatus (IS) muscles of Italian Simmental young bulls (Bos taurus) were assessed. Samples from 10 animals were collected within 20 min of exsanguination (T0), after 48 h (T1) and 7 days (T2) post mortem. Calpain and caspase activity were evaluated based on the formation of αII spectrin cleavage products of 145 kDa (SBDP145) and 120 kDa (SBDP120), respectively. Caspase activity was also assessed by the presence of poly (adenosine diphosphate‐ribose) polymerase‐1 (PARP‐1) cleavage product. At T0, LL showed higher levels of SBDP145 than IS (P < 0.01), while SBDP120 and PARP‐1 degradation products were similar between muscles. At T1, no difference was found in the level of SBDP145 between muscles, while SBDP120 and PARP‐1 cleavage products were not detected. At T2 neither αII spectrin nor PARP‐1 cleavage products were found. LL and IS showed different proteolysis after slaughter that was influenced more by calpain than caspase activity, which was detectable only in the early post mortem period.