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Effects of road transportation on metabolic and immunological responses in Holstein heifers
Author(s) -
Kang HyeokJoong,
Lee In Kyu,
Piao MinYu,
Kwak ChaeWon,
Gu Min Jeong,
Yun Cheol Heui,
Kim HyunJin,
Ahn HyeonJu,
Kim HeeBal,
Kim GyeomHeon,
Kim SooKi,
Ko JongYoul,
Ha Jong K.,
Baik Myunggi
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
animal science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.606
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1740-0929
pISSN - 1344-3941
DOI - 10.1111/asj.12604
Subject(s) - triglyceride , medicine , endocrinology , haptoglobin , immune system , biology , lymphocyte , zoology , immunology , cholesterol
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.