Studies On Stress Response Of Cattle By Road Transport

Aimed at research mechanism of stress and welfare of cattle by road transport, this researchdivided two parts consisted of effect of short haul transport on behavior and bloodconstituent of cattle, effect of long distance transport with fasting and recoverty aftertransport on blood constituent of cattle, effect of handling with and without chute on bodytemperature and behaviour of cattle, effect of space allowance and tied on maintenancebehavior of cattle, observation of cattle behavior during unloading from typical chute inchina, dynamic study on effect of long distance transport with food and drink on behaviorand blood indices of cattle, etc. This research would offer the basis of improving vehicle totransport cattle and legislating to protect transported animal.Exp.1Effect of short haul transport on behavior and blood constituent of cattleAimed at research effects of short haul transport on behavior and blood constituent of cattle,a experiment was carried out on ten simental crossed cow, aged about20months, weighting532.1±23.5kg that were transported over135min. The stocking density was about506kg/m2. Fifty-fifty national trunk highway and provincial trunk highway were used. Bloodsamples of jugular vein were taken at before transportation and after unloading and behaviorof lying, standing and position change was observed every20min. The results showed asignificant increase of serum lactate dehydrogenase and reatine kinase after135mintransportation, as compared to that of before transportation, but organism was in a change ofinitial cortisol and continued enzymatic activity to maintain energy accommodate and thewhole metaboilic level was not effected and the liver not injured significantly. Enough spaceto lying was needed by even if animals were transported short time in a high stockingdensity because of that lying cattle could not stand up again. For cattle, loading andunloading were more stressful than the actual transportaion and loading in the event ofcrowed was more stressful than unloading.Exp.2Effect of long distance transport with fasting and recoverty after transport on bloodconstituent of cattleAimed at research effects of typical long distance transport in China with fasting andrecoverty after transport on blood constituent of cattle, a experiment was carried out on tensimental crossed cow, aged about15months, weighting312.6±11.6kg that were transportedover33hours. The stocking density was about433kg/m2. Expressway were used. Bloodsamples of jugular vein were taken at before transportation, after unloading and after72h recovery respectively. The results showed a significant increase of metaboilic level, a growthblocked, a injured liver, and a ionic disequilibrium, but immune function was injuredsignificantly. the fasting was a important stressor in the typical long distance transportationin China. Metaboilic level, liver and ion lever of cattle did not recovered fully until72-hourafter unloading. Serum T3, T4, GH and AST were useful indicator of stress from longdistance transportation.Exp.3Effect of handling with and without chute on body temperature and behaviour ofcattleAimed at research effects of handling with and without chute on body temperature andbehaviour of cattle, a experiment was carried out on forty-two simental crossed bull,weighting363.2±18.1kg that were randomly divided into two same groups handledrespectively with and without chute. The results revealed that both of handlings with andwithout chute were stressful, with chute was more stressful than without chute, stressresponses of cattle included the elevated temperature and behavior of escape, aggression,vocalization, and behavior strategy to resist handling stress were firstly escape, secondlyaggression after escape were hindered and finally vocalization.Exp.4Effect of the handling chute design on the unloading behavior of cattleAimed at research effects of unloading from typical chute in China cattle behavior, aexperiment was carried out on seventy-eight Holstein cattle that were randomly divided intothree groups handled respectively by three unloading soil chutes. Thirty-three cattle weretreated by Chute I that was35.5%slope,1.2m altitude without guardrail and with pedalconnected vehicle with chute. Twenty-seven cattle were treated by chute II that was34.4%slope,, with a0.3m distance to vehicle,1.1m altitude without pedal connected vehicle withchute. Eighteen cattle were treated by chute III that was34.4%slope,, with a0.5m distanceto vehicle,1.1m altitude without pedal connected vehicle with chute. Behavior of balk,exploration, off normal, jump off, off abnormal was recorded by Panasonic HDC-HS700digital camera. The results showed that all three chutes were stressful for cattle, stressresponses included a high incidence rate of balk and exploration. A easier unloading wasobserved in experiment I and when several cattle were drived to unload all the same time,and space between vehicle and chute was stressful for cattle. No effect of age on unloadingbehaviour.Exp.5Effect of space allowance and tied on maintenance behavior of cattleAimed at research effects of space allowance and tied on maintenance behavior of cattle,two experiments were carried out. Experiment I was carried out on forty-two simentalcrossed bulls, weighting363.2kg that were randomly divided into two same groups stocked respectively in tied and loosed. The stocking density was about346kg/m2. All cattle weretransported with fasting on expressway over34hours. Experiment II was carried out ontwenty-one simental crossed bulls, weighting337.5kg that were randomly divided into twogroups and17bulls of group I stocked perpendicular to driving direction and4bulls ofgroup II stocked parallel to driving direction. All cattle were transported with fasting onexpressway over40hours. Behavior of lying, rumination, drawn-off by rein and rankingwas observed every2³hours and ambient temperature was recorded every2hours. Theresults showed that a significant effect from lying space of cattle and a decrease ofrumination not effected by ranking of cattle. Position change of cattle was seriously effectedby tied not effecting lying. Lying cattle were stamped or straddled by others easily.Exp6. Dynamic study on effects of long distance transport with food and drink onmaintenance behavior of cattle during transportThe study was carried out on twenty Holstein heifer from Jiaozuo Drex Dairy Industry in China,aged about12months that were randomly devided into two same group and transported over30hours. Group I was treated by hay available freely and offering water at8h,12h intransportation. Group II was treated by fasting in whole journey. Behavior of drinking,ruminating, lying was observed and recorded. The result showed that long distancetransportation leaded to fatigue of cattle, and lying increased. Lying and ruminating were noteffected significantly by offering hay and water. Lying was selected by all cattle in30minafter transport. Cattle was sensitive to method of offering water, and drinking and feedingwere decreasing in transportation.Exp.7Dynamic study on effects of long distance transport with food and drink on serumhormonal and biochemistry indices of cattle during transportAnimal and treatment were same as Exp6. Blood samples of jugular vein were taken byVenous indwelling needle at1h before transportation,0h after loading,4h,8h,12h,16h,22h,26h,30h in transport,0h,2h,4h,12h,24h,48h after unloading. T3, T4, COR, GH,ALT, AST, ALP, TP, ALB, GLU, BUN, LDH, CK were analysed. The result showed asignificant wave property of the four hormone, and the treatment before transport was morestressful for cattle. Transport could lead to a increasing mobilization of fat and protein inbody, but excitability of HPT axis of cattle in transport was reduced by feeding and drinkingwhich were helpful to alleviate stress response. Transport stress response showed chronicand adaptability. There was not positive or negative influence of hay and water to cortisoland growth of cattle. Cortisol and growth hormone was more important than T3and T4atinitial transport.Exp.8Dynamic study on effects of long distance transport with food and drink on blood routine indices of cattle during transportExperimental design were same as Exp7. WBC, RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV were analysed. Theresult showed that transport could lead to a unsignificant dehydration and inflammation of cattle.There was no evidence of a positive or negative influence of hay and water on inflammation.Improving method of offering food and water should be research further.Exp.9Dynamic study on effects of long distance transport with food and drink on bloodion indices of cattle during transportExperimental design were same as Exp7. Serum Na⁺, K⁺, Cl^-, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, P, HCO₃^-wereanalysed. The result showed a significant increase of Na⁺and K⁺and a decrease of K⁺and aseries of stress response. Hay and water were helpful to alleviate stress response, but thedegress to alleviate stress was relating to method of water and feed. For transported animal,supplement of Ca and Mg and synergistic effect of Ca and P, K and Mg, Na and Cl shouldbe emphasized.