HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nyberg, L. Articles by Rundgren, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nyberg, L. Articles by Rundgren, M.

Effects of Transport Stress on Concentrations of Cortisol, Corticosteroid-Binding Globulin and Glucocorticoid Receptors in Pigs with Different Halothane Genotypes^1,2,

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract

Effects of stress on concentrations of cortisol and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) in blood plasma and on glucocorticoid receptor concentrations in muscle cytosol were studied in pigs representing three Halothane (Hal) genotypes (NN, Nn, nn). At 12 wk of age, animals were divided into four groups: pigs subjected to transport (5 h in a truck), pigs treated with amperozide prior to transport, pigs not transported but treated with amperozide and pigs neither transported nor given amperozide. Animals were slaughtered the week they reached 100 kg live weight (3 mo later). The Hal gene showed no major influence on the variables studied except for cortisol concentrations (P = .06) measured directly after transport at 12 wk of age (NN = 66.8 nM, Nn = 61.4 nM, nn = 69.4 nM). However, the response in each Hal genotype differed, depending on whether or not the pigs had been exposed to transport. Two weeks after transport, NN pigs developed higher cortisol concentrations than untransported animals, whereas the response was reversed in nn animals; Nn pigs showed no difference in this regard. At slaughter, the effect of transport (12 wk of age) on cortisol and CBG was still apparent. In NN pigs cortisol and CBG concentrations were elevated (P .05, P = .08, respectively), whereas concentrations tended to be lower in nn pigs (P = .17, P = .07, respectively) when compared with untransported pigs. Transported pigs had lower receptor concentrations at slaughter (P .01) than untransported pigs. However, pigs given amperozide in connection with transport had a receptor concentration comparable to that in untransported pigs. Our study shows conclusively that transport stress had long-term effects on cortisol, CBG and glucocorticoid receptor concentrations. In addition, amperozide had long-term effects on cortisol and receptor concentrations.

¹ This study was supported by grants from the Swedish Council for Forestry and Agric. Res.

² We acknowledge E. Kula and R. Stupnicki for their generous gift of cortisol antiserum.

³ Dept. of Clin. Chem., College of Vet. Med., S-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Breeding and Genetics.

⁵ Dept. of Anim. Nutr. and Management.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				N. A. Geverink, A. Foury, G. S. Plastow, M. Gil, M. Gispert, M. Hortos, M. F. i Furnols, G. Gort, M. P. Moisan, and P. Mormede Cortisol-binding globulin and meat quality in five European lines of pigs J Anim Sci, January 1, 2006; 84(1): 204 - 211. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]