Faecal cortisol concentrations as indicator of stress during intensive fattening of beef cattle in a humid tropical environment
Por:
Clementina Hernandez-Cruz, Bertha, Adolfo Carrasco-Garcia, Apolo, Ahuja-Aguirre, Concepcion, Lopez-deBuen, Lorena, Rojas-Maya, Susana, Montiel-Palacios, Felipe
Publicada:
1 feb 2016
Resumen:
The study evaluated the concentrations of faecal cortisol metabolites
(FCM) in intensively fattened beef cattle from a feedlot in a humid
tropical environment. A total of 360 bulls weighing 271-371 kg were kept
confined in pens from the start to the end of the fattening period (FP).
At 24 h after arriving at the feedlot, cattle were distributed into the
pens according to their live weight: 271-320 kg, 321-370 kg, and > 370
kg. At the start of the FP, four pens of each weight group were randomly
selected, and in each of them 10 faecal samples were obtained from 10
randomly selected bulls; this sampling was repeated in the same pens and
in each weight group at the middle and end of the FP. The FCM were
measured through enzyme immunoassay. The 271-320 kg group had higher FCM
at the end of the FP (P < 0.05), the 321-370 kg group had similar FCM
throughout the FP (P > 0.05), and the > 370 kg group showed higher FCM
at the start and end of the FP (P < 0.05). Higher FCM were observed at
the middle of the FP in the 321-370 kg group, and at the end of the FP
in the 271-320 kg and > 370 kg groups (P < 0.05). Mean FCM obtained
throughout the FP were within normal ranges for cattle, suggesting that
appropriate management in feedlots in humid-tropical regions can provide
bulls with a low-stress environment.
Filiaciones:
Clementina Hernandez-Cruz, Bertha:
Univ Veracruzana, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Col Unidad Veracruzana, Circunvalac Esq Yanez S-N, Veracruz 91710, Ver, Mexico
Adolfo Carrasco-Garcia, Apolo:
Univ Veracruzana, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Col Unidad Veracruzana, Circunvalac Esq Yanez S-N, Veracruz 91710, Ver, Mexico
Ahuja-Aguirre, Concepcion:
Univ Veracruzana, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Col Unidad Veracruzana, Circunvalac Esq Yanez S-N, Veracruz 91710, Ver, Mexico
Lopez-deBuen, Lorena:
Univ Veracruzana, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Col Unidad Veracruzana, Circunvalac Esq Yanez S-N, Veracruz 91710, Ver, Mexico
Rojas-Maya, Susana:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Dept Reprod Endocrinol, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Circuito Exterior S-N,Ciudad Univ, Mexico City 04510, DF, Mexico
Montiel-Palacios, Felipe:
Univ Veracruzana, Fac Med Vet & Zootecnia, Col Unidad Veracruzana, Circunvalac Esq Yanez S-N, Veracruz 91710, Ver, Mexico
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