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Llamas-Amor E, Goyena E, González-Bulnes A, García Manzanilla E, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S, López-Martínez MJ, Muñoz-Prieto A. Cystatin C, Ammonia, and Bicarbonate Measurements in the Saliva of Pigs: Analytical Validation and Changes in S. suis Infection. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1580. [PMID: 38891627 PMCID: PMC11171149 DOI: 10.3390/ani14111580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Cystatin C, ammonia, and bicarbonate have been described to be biomarkers of sepsis and inflammation in humans. The saliva of pigs can be used to detect a wide range of pathogens but also many biomarkers that can be analyzed to evaluate different conditions such as stress (i.e., cortisol and alpha amylase), immune system (i.e., ADA, S100 proteins), inflammation (i.e., acute phase proteins), redox status (i.e., various antioxidants and oxidants), and general metabolism or the status of different organs and tissues. However, there is a lack of assays for the possible measurement and use of cystatin C, ammonia, and bicarbonate in saliva as biomarkers of sepsis or inflammation in pigs. The objective of this study was to validate commercially available automated assays for the measurement of cystatin C, ammonia, and bicarbonate in the saliva of pigs, having the advantage of using a noninvasive sample that is easy to collect. The assays were precise and accurate, and the recommended storage condition for the saliva samples was -80 °C. In addition, cystatin and ammonia showed significant increases in the saliva of pigs with S. suis infection, whereas bicarbonate decreased. Further studies would be recommended to increase knowledge about the possible potential applications of the measurements of these three analytes in the saliva of pigs as biomarkers to evaluate the animals' health and welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Llamas-Amor
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.L.-A.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (A.M.-P.)
| | - Elena Goyena
- Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Antonio González-Bulnes
- Departamento de Producción y Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc, 7, 46115 Alfara del Patriarca, Spain;
- Cuarte S.L. Grupo Jorge, Ctra. De Logroño, Km 9.2, Monzalbarba, 50120 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Edgar García Manzanilla
- Pig Development Department, The Irish Food and Agriculture Authority, Teagasc, P61 C996 Cork, Ireland;
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, D04 V1W8 Dublin, Ireland
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.L.-A.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (A.M.-P.)
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.L.-A.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (A.M.-P.)
| | - María José López-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.L.-A.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (A.M.-P.)
| | - Alberto Muñoz-Prieto
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (E.L.-A.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (A.M.-P.)
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Svoboda M, Nemeckova M, Medkova D, Sardi L, Hodkovicova N. Non-invasive methods for analysing pig welfare biomarkers. VET MED-CZECH 2024; 69:137-155. [PMID: 38841131 PMCID: PMC11148715 DOI: 10.17221/17/2024-vetmed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
At present, the assessment of pig welfare quality has gained significant importance, prompting the exploration of novel biomarkers for this purpose. Traditionally, these biomarkers have been monitored in the blood; however, blood sampling is considered an invasive procedure. Currently, non-invasive methods for collecting samples are emerging as viable alternatives for assessing these biomarkers. This article aims to present the current knowledge regarding the use of non-invasive methods for analysing pig welfare biomarkers, specifically focusing on the saliva, hair, faeces, and urine as matrices to determine these biomarkers. The saliva analysis encompasses various biomarkers, such as cortisol, alpha-amylase, chromogranin A, the total esterase, oxytocin, acute phase proteins, adenosine deaminase, immunoglobulins and parameters of redox homeostasis. Cortisol, a specific biomarker, can be determined in the hair, urine and faeces, while urine samples allow for the analysis of catecholamines as non-invasive markers of pig welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Svoboda
- Ruminant and Swine Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Nemeckova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Denisa Medkova
- Department of Animal Husbandry, Animal Nutrition and Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Luca Sardi
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia (BO), Italy
| | - Nikola Hodkovicova
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Brno, Czech Republic
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Botía M, Escribano D, Ortín-Bustillo A, López-Martínez MJ, Fuentes P, Jiménez-Caparrós FJ, Hernández-Gómez JL, Avellaneda A, Cerón JJ, Rubio CP, Tvarijonaviciute A, Martínez-Subiela S, López-Arjona M, Tecles F. Comparison of the Effect of Two Different Handling Conditions at Slaughter in Saliva Analytes in Pigs. Metabolites 2024; 14:234. [PMID: 38668362 PMCID: PMC11052431 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14040234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this report, different handling conditions at slaughterhouse were studied to assess changes in salivary biomarkers. For this purpose, finishing pigs were divided into two groups, one in which handling was improved to minimize stress (Group A, n = 24, transported and stabled at the slaughterhouse at low density without mixing with unfamiliar animals throughout the whole process) and another one in which animals had a more stressful handling process (Group B, n = 24, transported and stabled at high density with unfamiliar animals). Saliva samples were taken the day before transport to the slaughterhouse at 8:00 a.m. (B0) and 12:00 a.m. (B4), and the day of slaughter just after unloading animals at the slaughterhouse at approximately 8:00 a.m. (S0) and after 4 h of lairage at approximately 12:00 a.m. (S4). Group B showed significantly higher cortisol, total esterase activity, oxytocin, adenosine deaminase and haptoglobin levels than the Group A at both S0 and S4 sampling times, and higher levels of calprotectin and creatine kinase at S4 sampling time. This report indicates that differences in the way in which the pigs are handled at the slaughterhouse can lead to changes in salivary biomarkers and opens the possibility of the use of biomarker at slaughter to monitor handling conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Botía
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
- Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain
| | - Alba Ortín-Bustillo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - María J. López-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Pablo Fuentes
- Cátedra de Seguridad y Sostenibilidad Alimentaria Grupo Fuertes-Universidad de Murcia, 30003 Murcia, Spain; (P.F.); (F.J.J.-C.); (J.L.H.-G.); (A.A.)
| | - Francisco J. Jiménez-Caparrós
- Cátedra de Seguridad y Sostenibilidad Alimentaria Grupo Fuertes-Universidad de Murcia, 30003 Murcia, Spain; (P.F.); (F.J.J.-C.); (J.L.H.-G.); (A.A.)
| | - Juan L. Hernández-Gómez
- Cátedra de Seguridad y Sostenibilidad Alimentaria Grupo Fuertes-Universidad de Murcia, 30003 Murcia, Spain; (P.F.); (F.J.J.-C.); (J.L.H.-G.); (A.A.)
| | - Antonio Avellaneda
- Cátedra de Seguridad y Sostenibilidad Alimentaria Grupo Fuertes-Universidad de Murcia, 30003 Murcia, Spain; (P.F.); (F.J.J.-C.); (J.L.H.-G.); (A.A.)
| | - José J. Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Camila P. Rubio
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Asta Tvarijonaviciute
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
| | - Marina López-Arjona
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola de Vallés, Spain
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Spain; (M.B.); (D.E.); (A.O.-B.); (M.J.L.-M.); (J.J.C.); (C.P.R.); (A.T.); (S.M.-S.); (F.T.)
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Zheng L, Shi L, Wu X, Hu P, Zhang B, Han X, Wang K, Li X, Yang F, Wang Y, Li X, Qiao R. Advances in Research on Pig Salivary Analytes: A Window to Reveal Pig Health and Physiological Status. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:374. [PMID: 38338017 PMCID: PMC10854898 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Saliva is an important exocrine fluid that is easy to collect and is a complex mixture of proteins and other molecules from multiple sources from which considerable biological information can be mined. Pig saliva, as an easily available biological liquid rich in bioactive ingredients, is rich in nucleic acid analytes, such as eggs, enzymes, amino acids, sugars, etc. The expression levels of these components in different diseases have received extensive attention, and the analysis of specific proteins, metabolites, and biological compositions in pig saliva has become a new direction for disease diagnosis and treatment. The study of the changes in analytes in pig saliva can provide a new strategy for early diagnosis, prognosis assessment, and treatment of diseases. In this paper, the detection methods and research progress of porcine salivary analytes are reviewed, the application and research progress of porcine salivary analytes in diseases are discussed, and the future application prospect is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ruimin Qiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China; (L.Z.); (L.S.)
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Ortín-Bustillo A, Botía M, López-Arjona M, Pardo-Marín L, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S, López-Martínez MJ, Tvarijonaviciute A, Muñoz-Prieto A, Rubio CP, Martínez-Miró S, Escribano D, Tecles F. Saliva Sampling Material Matters: Effects on the Results of Saliva Analysis in Pigs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3757. [PMID: 38136795 PMCID: PMC10741101 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of saliva as a biological sample from pigs is of high practical interest because blood collection from pigs is difficult and stressful. In this study, the influence of two different materials, a cotton roll and a polypropylene sponge, in porcine saliva collection was evaluated. For this purpose, the effect of the material used for sampling was evaluated in a panel of 13 analytes, including those related to stress (cortisol and oxytocin), inflammation and immunity (adenosine deaminase, haptoglobin and myeloperoxidase), redox homeostasis (the cupric reducing ability of saliva, the ferric reducing activity of saliva, and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity), and sepsis (procalcitonin), as well as other routine analytes related to metabolism and different tissues and organs, such as lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, urea, and total protein concentration. The polypropylene sponge provided a higher sample volume than the cotton roll. Although the results of some salivary analytes were equivalent for both materials, other analytes, such as creatine kinase, haptoglobin and total proteins, showed significant differences depending on the material used for saliva collection. Therefore, the type of material used for salivary collection in pigs should be considered when interpreting the results of analyses of the salivary analytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alba Ortín-Bustillo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - María Botía
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Marina López-Arjona
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain;
| | - Luis Pardo-Marín
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - José J. Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - María José López-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Asta Tvarijonaviciute
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Alberto Muñoz-Prieto
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Camila P. Rubio
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
| | - Silvia Martínez-Miró
- Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
- Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Regional Campus of International Excellence ‘Campus Mare Nostrum’, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (A.O.-B.); (M.B.); (L.P.-M.); (J.J.C.); (S.M.-S.); (M.J.L.-M.); (A.T.); (A.M.-P.); (C.P.R.); (F.T.)
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McConn BR, Kpodo KR, Rivier JE, Behan DP, Richert BT, Radcliffe JS, Lay DC, Johnson JS. Interactions between corticotropin releasing factor signaling and prophylactic antibiotics on measures of intestinal function in weaned and transported pigs. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1266409. [PMID: 37908333 PMCID: PMC10615255 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1266409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The study objective was to evaluate the interaction between corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) receptor signaling and prophylactic antibiotic administration on intestinal physiology in newly weaned and transported pigs. Pigs (n = 56; 5.70 ± 1.05 kg) were weaned (20.49 ± 0.64 d), a blood sample was taken, and then pigs were given an intraperitoneal injection of saline (SAL; n = 28 pigs) or a CRF receptor antagonist (CRFA; n = 28 pigs; 30 μg/kg body weight; Astressin B), and then were transported in a livestock trailer for 12 h and 49 min. A second and third intraperitoneal injection was given at 4 h 42 min and 11 h 36 min into the transport process, respectively. Following transport, 4 SAL and 4 CRFA pigs were blood sampled and euthanized. The remaining 48 pigs were individually housed and given dietary antibiotics [AB; n = 12 SAL and 12 CRFA pigs; chlortetracycline (441 ppm) + tiamulin (38.6 ppm)] or no dietary antibiotics (NAB; n = 12 SAL and 12 CRFA pigs) for 14 d post-transport. Blood was collected at 12 h and on d 3, 7, and 14, and then pigs were euthanized on d 7 (n = 24) and d 14 (n = 24) post-weaning and transport. Circulating cortisol was reduced (p = 0.05) in CRFA pigs when compared to SAL pigs post-weaning and transport. On d 7, jejunal villus height and crypt depth was greater overall (p < 0.05) in AB-fed pigs versus NAB-fed pigs. On d 14, ileal crypt depth was reduced (p = 0.02) in CRFA pigs when compared to SAL pigs. Jejunal CRF mRNA abundance tended to be reduced (p = 0.09) on d 7 in CRFA pigs versus SAL pigs. On d 14, jejunal tumor necrosis factor-alpha was reduced (p = 0.01) in AB-fed pigs versus NAB-fed pigs. On d 7, change in glucose short-circuit current tended to be increased (p = 0.07) in CRFA pigs fed the AB diet when compared to CRFA pigs fed the NAB diet. In conclusion, CRFA pigs and pigs fed AB had some similar biological intestinal function measures post-weaning and transport.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty R. McConn
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | | | - Jean E. Rivier
- Sentia Medical Sciences Inc, San Diego, CA, United States
| | | | | | | | - Donald C. Lay
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service (USDA), West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Jay S. Johnson
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service (USDA), West Lafayette, IN, United States
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Escribano D, Contreras-Jodar A, López-Arjona M, Cerón JJ, Fàbrega E, Aymerich P, Dalmau A. Changes in cortisol and cortisone in hair of pigs reared under heat stress conditions. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1156480. [PMID: 37533453 PMCID: PMC10393039 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1156480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress accounts for millions of dollars in losses for swine producers worldwide. The aim of the present study was to determine and evaluate cortisol and cortisone in hair as indicators of thermal stress in growing pigs reared under high environmental temperatures. The study was carried out in two independent batches of commercial crosses of Lean Duroc and Pietrain in trials 1 and 2, respectively, during the growing period (from 40 to 100 kg; 81 days in trial 1 and 77 days in trial 2) in the same commercial farm in Spain during the summers of 2020 and 2021. In both cases, four rooms were used. In Trial 1, Room 1 had cooling and 11 pigs per pen; Room 2 had no cooling and 13 pigs per pen; Room 3 had no cooling and 11 pigs per pen, and Room 4 had cooling and 13 pigs per pen. In Trial 2, Rooms 2 and 3 had cooling and rooms 1 and 4 had no cooling, and all of them had 13 pigs per pen. Mean THI value was higher (p < 0.0001) in rooms without cooling systems (75.0 trial 1; 74.9 trial 2) than with them (71.3 trial 1; 71.7 trial 2). A total of four pens per room (16 in total) was selected for analysis of hair corticoids and all pigs inside were sampled at the end of the study. Fifty percent of the pigs were males (castrated and intact in trial 1 and 2, respectively) and 50% females. In total, 44, 52, 44, and 52 pigs, respectively, were sampled in four rooms from the first trial and 52 for each of four rooms in Trial 2. Cortisol concentrations in hair did not show any significant change in relation to cooling-non-cooling in any trial. However, hair cortisone concentration was 172.3 pg./mg and 105.8 pg./mg less (p < 0.001) in pigs housed with cooling systems compared to those without them in Trial 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, the cortisone/cortisol ratio, which is an estimator of the activity of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) type 2, was also greater in rooms without cooling than in rooms with cooling in both trials (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0105 for Trials 1 and 2, respectively). In relation to the sex effect, the results showed greater levels in females than in castrated males both in cortisone and the cortisol/cortisone ratio while cortisol hair levels were greater in intact males than in females. Therefore, the use of cortisone and the estimation of 11β-HSD type 2 activity in hair is recommended to evaluate the chronic stress produced by high environmental conditions in pigs instead of using hair cortisol concentrations alone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
- Department of Animal Production, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Marina López-Arjona
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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8
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Prims S, Van Ostade X, Ayuso M, Dom M, Van Raemdonck G, Van Cruchten S, Casteleyn C, Van Ginneken C. Chronic exposure to multiple stressors alters the salivary proteome of piglets. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286455. [PMID: 37235602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Monitoring chronic stress in pigs is not only essential in view of animal welfare but is also important for the farmer, given that stress influences the zootechnical performance of the pigs and increases their susceptibility to infectious diseases. To investigate the use of saliva as a non-invasive, objective chronic stress monitoring tool, twenty-four 4-day-old piglets were transferred to artificial brooders. At the age of 7 days, they were assigned to either the control or the stressed group and reared for three weeks. Piglets in the stressed group were exposed to overcrowding, absence of cage enrichment, and frequent mixing of animals between pens. Shotgun analysis using an isobaric labelling method (iTRAQ) for tandem mass spectrometry performed on saliva samples taken after three weeks of chronic stress identified 392 proteins, of which 20 proteins displayed significantly altered concentrations. From these 20 proteins, eight were selected for further validation using parallel reaction monitoring (PRM). For this validation, saliva samples that were taken one week after the start of the experiment and samples that were taken at the end of the experiment were analysed to verify the profile over time. We wanted to investigate whether the candidate biomarkers responded fast or rather slowly to the onset of chronic exposure to multiple stressors. Furthermore, this validation could indicate whether age influenced the baseline concentrations of these salivary proteins, both in healthy and stressed animals. This targeted PRM analysis confirmed that alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein was upregulated in the stressed group after one and three weeks, while odorant-binding protein, chitinase, long palate lung and nasal epithelium protein 5, lipocalin-1, and vomeromodulin-like protein were present in lower concentrations in the saliva of the stressed pigs, albeit only after three weeks. These results indicate that the porcine salivary proteome is altered by chronic exposure to multiple stressors. The affected proteins could be used as salivary biomarkers to identify welfare problems at the farm and facilitate research to optimise rearing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Prims
- Laboratory of Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Xaveer Van Ostade
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signalling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Proteomics (CfP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Miriam Ayuso
- Laboratory of Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Martin Dom
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signalling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Geert Van Raemdonck
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signalling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- Center for Proteomics (CfP), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Steven Van Cruchten
- Laboratory of Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Christophe Casteleyn
- Laboratory of Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Chris Van Ginneken
- Laboratory of Comparative Perinatal Development, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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9
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Kumar P, Ahmed MA, Abubakar AA, Hayat MN, Kaka U, Ajat M, Goh YM, Sazili AQ. Improving animal welfare status and meat quality through assessment of stress biomarkers: A critical review. Meat Sci 2023; 197:109048. [PMID: 36469986 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.109048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Stress induces various physiological and biochemical alterations in the animal body, which are used to assess the stress status of animals. Blood profiles, serum hormones, enzymes, and physiological conditions such as body temperature, heart, and breathing rate of animals are the most commonly used stress biomarkers in the livestock sector. Previous exposure, genetics, stress adaptation, intensity, duration, and rearing practices result in wide intra- and inter-animal variations in the expression of various stress biomarkers. The use of meat proteomics by adequately analyzing the expression of various muscle proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), acute phase proteins (APPs), texture, and tenderness biomarkers help predict meat quality and stress in animals before slaughter. Thus, there is a need to identify non-invasive, rapid, and accurate stress biomarkers that can objectively assess stress in animals. The present manuscript critically reviews various aspects of stress biomarkers in animals and their application in mitigating preslaughter stress in meat production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Kumar
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141004, India
| | - Muideen Adewale Ahmed
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abubakar Ahmed Abubakar
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Nizam Hayat
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ubedullah Kaka
- Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mokrish Ajat
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yong Meng Goh
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Awis Qurni Sazili
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Halal Products Research Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Putra Infoport, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
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10
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van Zeeland Y, Schoemaker N. Pain Recognition in Ferrets. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2023; 26:229-243. [PMID: 36402483 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2022.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recognition and accurate assessment of the severity of pain can be challenging in ferrets as they are unable to verbally communicate, and often hide their pain. Pain assessment relies on the assessment of behavioral, physiologic, and other clinical parameters that serve as indirect indicators of pain. Assessment of physiologic and clinical parameters requires handling, which results in changes in these parameters. Behavioral parameters can be assessed less invasively by observing the patient. Due to their nonspecificity, correct interpretation may be challenging. Just as in other species, a grimace scale seems to be the most helpful tool in recognizing pain in ferrets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne van Zeeland
- Division of Zoological Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, Utrecht 3584 CM, the Netherlands
| | - Nico Schoemaker
- Division of Zoological Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 108, Utrecht 3584 CM, the Netherlands.
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11
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Valros A, Lopez-Martinez MJ, Munsterhjelm C, Lopez-Arjona M, Ceron JJ. Novel saliva biomarkers for stress and infection in pigs: Changes in oxytocin and procalcitonin in pigs with tail-biting lesions. Res Vet Sci 2022; 153:49-56. [PMID: 36308791 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is a need for feasible and reliable measures to improve and evaluate production animal health and welfare. Oxytocin is a promising novel stress-related biomarker and procalcitonin may be a measure of sepsis. Both have potential for use in pigs and can be measured from saliva, which allows on-farm sampling with minimal impact on the animals. The current study sought to further validate these measures using a spontaneous situation that causes both stress and an increased risk for infections in pigs, namely a tail-biting outbreak. Grower pigs on a commercial farm belonging to three different phenotype groups were selected: control pigs from control pens (CC, N = 30), control pigs (CTB, N = 10), and pigs with tail lesions from pens with a tail-biting outbreak (LTB, N = 27). A single sample of saliva was collected from each pig and analysed for a range of biomarkers related to stress, infection, inflammation, and immune activation. Oxytocin tended to be higher in CC pigs than in LTB pigs, while cortisol was higher in CTB than CC pigs. Procalcitonin tended to be higher, and haptoglobin was higher in LTB than in CC pigs. Adenosine-deaminase levels were similar between phenotypes. These results provide further evidence for the link between stress and tail biting, and indicate that tail-biting lesions are potential routes for systemic spread of bacteria. Further research into saliva oxytocin as a stress biomarker and saliva procalcitonin as a sepsis biomarker in pigs is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland.
| | - Maria Jose Lopez-Martinez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Camilla Munsterhjelm
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O.Box 57, 00014, Finland
| | - Marina Lopez-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Jose Joaquin Ceron
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis of the University of Murcia (Interlab-UMU), Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, Regional Campus of International Excellence Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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12
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Label-free quantitative proteomics and stress responses in pigs-The case of short or long road transportation. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0277950. [PMID: 36417452 PMCID: PMC9683611 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethical livestock production is currently a major concern for consumers. In parallel, research has shown that transport duration is an important factor affecting animal welfare and has a negative impact on the final product quality and on the production cost. This study applied proteomics methods to the animal stress/welfare problem in pigs muscle-exudate with the aim to identify proteins indicative of molecular processes underpinning transport stress and to better characterise this species as a biomedical model. A broader perspective of the problem was obtained by applying label-free LC-MS to characterise the proteome response to transport stress (short or long road transportation) in pigs within the same genetic line. A total of 1,464 proteins were identified, following statistical analysis 66 proteins clearly separating pigs subject to short road transportation and pigs subject long road transportation. These proteins were mainly involved in cellular and metabolic processes. Catalase and stress-induced phosphoprotein-1 were further confirmed by Western blot as being involved in the process of self-protection of the cells in response to stress. This study provide an insight into the molecular processes that are involved in pig adaptability to transport stress and are a step-forward for the development of an objective evaluation method of stress in order to improve animal care and management in farm animals.
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13
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Franco-Martínez L, Ortín-Bustillo A, Rubio CP, Escribano D, López-Arjona M, García-Manzanilla E, Cerón JJ, Martínez-Subiela S, Tvarijonaviciute A, Tecles F. Effects of pen faeces and feed contamination in biomarkers determination in oral fluid of pigs. Res Vet Sci 2022; 152:403-409. [PMID: 36115297 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study aims to evaluate the possible effects of the presence of pen faeces and feed on the measurement of a panel of biomarkers in porcine oral fluid. For this, clean porcine oral fluid was pooled and incubated with two different concentrations of pen faeces or feed representing a high or low level of contamination with each material. In addition, these pools were aliquoted and subjected to centrifugation, filtration or chemical clarification to evaluate if these techniques could revert the effects of those contaminants in biomarker evaluation. A panel of 21 biomarkers that assessed stress, inflammation, immune system and redox homeostasis among others, were measured for all aliquots. Changes of statistical relevance (p < 0.05) in oral fluid contaminated with pen faeces or feed versus untreated samples were observed for all methods employed with the exception of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and creatine kinase (CK) in oral fluid contaminated with pen faeces or feed. Pen faeces did not affect the measurement of haptoglobin, superoxide dismutase, CK, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ADA and cortisol (when the latter is measured by chemiluminescence); while uric acid, LDH, CK, ADA, and hydrogen peroxide methods were not affected by the presence of feed in oral fluid. The effects of centrifugation, filtration or chemical clarification with chitosan in these contaminated samples were modest and for most cases did not caused baseline levels on the measured biomarkers. In conclusion, the presence of pen faeces or feed in porcine oral fluid can interfere with the results obtained when analytes are measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Franco-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Alba Ortín-Bustillo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Camila P Rubio
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marina López-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Edgar García-Manzanilla
- Moorepark Animal and Grassland Research Centre, Teagasc, Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, P61 C996 Cork, Ireland
| | - José J Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Asta Tvarijonaviciute
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
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14
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Changes in a Comprehensive Profile of Saliva Analytes in Fattening Pigs during a Complete Productive Cycle: A Longitudinal Study. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141865. [PMID: 35883410 PMCID: PMC9312009 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a panel of 29 salivary biomarkers of stress, immunity, inflammation, redox homeostasis and other physiological functions can change in healthy fattening pigs when monitoring the different phases of their productive cycle and can be influenced by various sources of variations such as gender and performance parameters. Several analytes showed changes due to the productive cycle, with a majority of the analytes showing higher values at lactation and at the beginning of nursery. Additionally, differences were seen due to sex. These differences can be related in some cases with performance parameters and should be taken into consideration for an appropriate interpretation of the analytes. Abstract A comprehensive panel of 29 salivary analytes was measured in fattening pigs to evaluate its possible changes along their productive cycle. The identification of those changes would allow a better interpretation of the results according to the productive phase of the animal. Saliva samples were obtained from 49 Large-White pigs (24 females, 25 males) in suckling phase, at the beginning and the end of the nursery phase, and at the beginning and the end of the growing phase. Several analytes changed according to the phase of the productive cycle, with most of the analytes showing higher values at lactation and at the beginning of nursery. Additionally, differences were seen due to sex. When possible relations between performance parameters and analytes were evaluated, significant positive but weak relationships were found between weight at birth and salivary γ-glutamyl transferase, and between back-fat thickness and salivary lactate dehydrogenase. In conclusion, differences in the values of salivary analytes can be found in fattening pigs depending on the productive phase and sex of the animals.
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15
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Cerón JJ, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Escribano D, Martínez-Miró S, López-Martínez MJ, Ortín-Bustillo A, Franco-Martínez L, Rubio CP, Muñoz-Prieto A, Tvarijonaviciute A, López-Arjona M, Martínez-Subiela S, Tecles F. Basics for the potential use of saliva to evaluate stress, inflammation, immune system, and redox homeostasis in pigs. BMC Vet Res 2022; 18:81. [PMID: 35227252 PMCID: PMC8883734 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-022-03176-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of saliva as a biological sample has many advantages, being especially relevant in pigs where the blood collection is highly stressful and painful, both for the animal and the staff in charge of the sampling. Currently one of the main uses of saliva is for diagnosis and detection of infectious diseases, but the saliva can also be used to measure biomarkers that can provide information of stress, inflammation, immune response and redox homeostasis. This review will be focused on the analytes that can be used for such evaluations. Emphasis will be given in providing data of practical use about their physiological basis, how they can be measured, and their interpretation. In addition, some general rules regarding sampling and saliva storage are provided and the concept of sialochemistry will be addressed. There is still a need for more data and knowledge for most of these biomarkers to optimize their use, application, and interpretation. However, this review provides updated data to illustrate that besides the detection of pathogens in saliva, additional interesting applicative information regarding pigs´ welfare and health can be obtained from this fluid. Information that can potentially be applied to other animal species as well as to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - M D Contreras-Aguilar
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - D Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Martínez-Miró
- Department of Animal Production, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - M J López-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - A Ortín-Bustillo
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - L Franco-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - C P Rubio
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - A Muñoz-Prieto
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - A Tvarijonaviciute
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - M López-Arjona
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
| | - F Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
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16
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Impact of Routine Management Procedures on the Welfare of Suckling Piglets. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9010032. [PMID: 35051116 PMCID: PMC8778417 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Piglets often undergo several painful treatments during the initial days of their lives. In this review, we investigate the acute (i.e., immediate), short-, and long-term implications of piglet processing on behavioral, physiological, clinical, and performance parameters, and how welfare impairments depend on performance instead of sham procedure, alternative techniques, or the age of the piglets. Welfare indicators that have been used to determine the least distressing procedures and knowledge gaps with regard to the procedures are identified and discussed. Tail docking and especially piglet castration have been the most researched topics, whereas marking for identification has been rarely addressed. Few or no studies have investigated the effects of teeth resection and tail docking on piglets of different age groups. Additionally, results are often found to be inconsistent, highlighting the need for additional research to determine the optimal age for processing. Studies comparing different processing techniques have produced contradictory results, but ear notching, teeth clipping, hot cautery tail docking, and tearing during castration have been determined to result in increased pain. Generally, a shorter procedure duration can reduce stress, with operator training having a distinct impact on piglet welfare during processing. As such, these topics should be further investigated.
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17
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Pastorelli G, Serra V, Turin L, Redaelli V, Luzi F, Barbieri S. Tranquillizing Effect of Passiflora incarnata Extract: Outcome on Behavioral and Physiological Indicators in Weaning Pigs with Intact Tails. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020203. [PMID: 35049826 PMCID: PMC8773376 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Post-weaning is the most critical phase in pig farming, characterized by efforts to ensure health, performance and welfare of animals. Despite that EU Directive 2008/120/EC prohibits the practice of tail docking, it is still commonly applied in intensive farming to avoid tail biting. From a nutritional perspective, the dietary supplementation with natural extracts with calming properties could represent a promising approach to overcome common production stressors, reducing abnormal behaviors such as tail biting. This study intended to determine the effects of the dietary inclusion of Passiflora incarnata, known for its tranquillizing activity, on skin lesions, thermal imaging, behavior, salivary cortisol and IgA levels on post-weaning piglets reared with intact tails. Growth performances were also monitored. No differences were recorded between diets regarding growth performance, whereas findings concerning aggressive and abnormal behaviors, such as tail and ear biting, and lower levels of cortisol confirmed the hypothesis of the calming effect of P. incarnata on post-weaning piglets. Abstract Tail docking has been used in the pig industry to decrease the occurrence of tail biting behavior. This abnormal behavior has a multifactorial origin since it is a response to simultaneous environmental, nutritional and management changes. Given the calming properties of Passiflora incarnata, we hypothesized that dietary supplementation with the extract in weaned pigs could result in a modification of behavior and physiologic indicators linked to stress. Weaned piglets (n = 120, mean body weight 9.07 ± 2.30 kg) were randomly allocated to one of two dietary treatments: control diet (CON) and CON supplemented with 1 kg/t of P. incarnata (PAS). The trial was 28 days long. The presence of skin lesions was assessed at d-1, d-10, d-19, and d-28, and saliva samples were collected for IgA and cortisol determinations at the same sampling times. Results showed the PAS group was characterized by equal growth performance as the CON group, fewer ear lesions (p < 0.05), less aggressive behavior (p < 0.001), higher enrichment exploration (p < 0.001) and lower cortisol levels (p < 0.01). Time effect was observed for tail lesions (p < 0.001) and behavioral observations (p < 0.001). Additional research is required to determine the effect of P. incarnata extract using a larger number of animals and longer period of supplementation when risks associated with tail biting are uncontrolled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Pastorelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Valentina Serra
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Lauretta Turin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (V.S.); (L.T.); Tel.: +39-02-503-34762 (V.S.); +39-02-503-34518 (L.T.)
| | - Veronica Redaelli
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Fabio Luzi
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milano, Via della Commenda 10, 20100 Milano, Italy; (V.R.); (F.L.)
| | - Sara Barbieri
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milano, Via dell’Università 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (G.P.); (S.B.)
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18
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Dalmau A, Sánchez-Matamoros A, Molina JM, Xercavins A, Varvaró-Porter A, Muñoz I, Moles X, Baulida B, Fàbrega E, Velarde A, Pallisera J, Puigredon A, Contreras-Jodar A. Intramuscular vs. Intradermic Needle-Free Vaccination in Piglets: Relevance for Animal Welfare Based on an Aversion Learning Test and Vocalizations. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:715260. [PMID: 34458358 PMCID: PMC8385536 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.715260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to compare intramuscular injection with a needle and intradermic needle-free vaccinations against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) in piglets at 28 days old by studying behavioral and physiological reactions. A total of 72 piglets divided into 2 sex-balanced batches were assessed. Within each batch, the piglets were divided into three treatments, which were Hipradermic (0.2 ml of UNISTRAIN® PRRS vaccine administered with an intradermic needle-free device), Intramuscular (IM, 2.0 ml of vaccine), and Control (not vaccinated). Before the vaccination, the piglets were trained to cross a 4-m-long raceway to perform an aversion learning test. The day of vaccination, the time taken to cross the raceway was registered for each piglet at different times: prior to the vaccination and 10 min, 2, 24, 48, and 72 h after the vaccination, to measure variations in these times as signs of aversion to the vaccination process. Vocalizations, as potential signs of pain, were recorded as well at the end of this raceway to analyze their frequency (Hz), duration, and level of pressure (dB) at the moment of vaccination. Salivary cortisol, as a sign of the HPA-axis activity, was assessed 10 min after the vaccination. In addition, activity budgets, local reaction to the vaccine, and serological titer were also considered in the study. Ten minutes after the vaccination, the IM piglets took longer (p < 0.001) to cross the raceway than did the Hipradermic and Control piglets. Vocalizations were significantly different between the three treatments: the Control piglets produced vocalizations with the lowest frequency (p < 0.001) and level of pressure (p < 0.001), and IM with the highest, with Hipradermic in a significant intermediate position (p < 0.001). Accordingly, the day of the vaccination, IM and Hipradermic animals were lying on the side of the vaccine administration a greater proportion of time than were the Control piglets (10, 11, and 6%, respectively; p = 0.027). Salivary cortisol was not significantly different between treatments. The serum titer of antibodies against the PRRS was higher (p < 0.001) in both vaccinated treatments in comparison to the Control piglets. It is concluded that the Hipradermic needle-free vaccination may result in a less aversive experience in piglets than did intramuscular vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoni Dalmau
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Aida Xercavins
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Israel Muñoz
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xènia Moles
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Baulida
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emma Fàbrega
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Velarde
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Pallisera
- Animal Welfare Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
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19
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Bushby EV, Dye L, Collins LM. Is Magnesium Supplementation an Effective Nutritional Method to Reduce Stress in Domestic Pigs? A Systematic Review. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:596205. [PMID: 33511164 PMCID: PMC7835408 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.596205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In commercial pig production, stressful events are common and can have detrimental impacts on the pig's health and welfare, as well as on the performance of the farm. Supplementary magnesium may reduce stress, and subsequent harmful and aggressive behaviors, that occur during stressful events, such as regrouping. However, reports on the efficacy of this treatment are mixed. We aimed to systematically review the studies in which magnesium was given to pigs to examine the effects on measures of stress. Of the 16 studies included in the final corpus, 10 reported at least one statistically significant beneficial effect of supplementary magnesium on reducing stress. However, two studies found that magnesium significantly increased stress suggesting supplementary dietary magnesium may be harmful in some cases. Overall, there are a limited number of studies investigating the possible effect of magnesium on reducing stress in pigs, and although results were varied, the majority found beneficial effects of supplementary magnesium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily V Bushby
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Dye
- School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Collins
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
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20
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Veit C, Janczak AM, Ranheim B, Vas J, Valros A, Sandercock DA, Piepponen P, Dulgheriu D, Nordgreen J. The Effect of LPS and Ketoprofen on Cytokines, Brain Monoamines, and Social Behavior in Group-Housed Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2021; 7:617634. [PMID: 33585605 PMCID: PMC7873924 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.617634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor health is a risk factor for damaging behaviors, but the mechanisms behind this link are unknown. Injection of pigs with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can be used to model aspects of poor health. Recent studies have shown that LPS-injected pigs perform more tail- and ear-directed behavior compared to saline-injected pigs and suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines may play a role in these behaviors. The aims of this study were to test the effect of LPS on the social behavior of pigs and the neurotransmitters and modulators in their brains and to test the effect of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug on the effects of LPS. Fifty-two female pigs (11-12 weeks) were allocated to four treatments comprising two injections: saline-saline (SS), saline-LPS (SL), ketoprofen-saline (KS), and ketoprofen-LPS (KL). Activity was scan-sampled every 5 min for 6 h after the last injection in the pen. Social behavior was observed continuously in 10 × 15-min bouts between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. 1 day before (baseline) and 1 and 2 days after the injection. Saliva was analyzed for cortisol and plasma for tryptophan and kynurenine. The frontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and brain stem were sampled 72 h after the injection and analyzed for cytokines and monoamines. LPS activated the HPA axis and decreased the activity within 6 h after the injection. Ketoprofen lowered the effect of LPS on cortisol release and attenuated the behavioral signs of sickness in challenged pigs. SL pigs manipulated the ears of their pen mates significantly longer than SS pigs 2 days after the injection. LPS had no observed effect on IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-18. At 72 h after the injection, plasma tryptophan was depleted in SL pigs, and tryptophan and kynurenine concentrations in the frontal cortex and brain stem of SL pigs were significantly lower compared to those in SS pigs. Dopamine concentrations in the hypothalamus of SL pigs were significantly lower compared to those in SS pigs. Serotonin concentrations in the hypothalamus and noradrenaline concentrations in the hippocampus of SL pigs were significantly lower compared to those in KL pigs. In conclusion, LPS influenced the different neurotransmitters and modulators in the brain that are hypothesized to play an important role in the regulation of mood and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Veit
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andrew M Janczak
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Birgit Ranheim
- Department of Production Animal Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Judit Vas
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Anna Valros
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dale A Sandercock
- Animal and Veterinary Science Research Group, Scotland's Rural College, Roslin Institute Building, Easter Bush, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Petteri Piepponen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Daniela Dulgheriu
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Janicke Nordgreen
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
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21
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Glucocorticoid Receptor Agonists to Improve the Productivity and Health of Early-Weaned Pigs: What Is the Best Method of Delivery? Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10071124. [PMID: 32630292 PMCID: PMC7401647 DOI: 10.3390/ani10071124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In previous studies, we demonstrated that injection of a glucocorticoid-like compound could effectively improve the productivity of early-weaned pigs and can be used as an alternative to antibiotics. In the current study, we explored the viability of other methods for delivering this glucocorticoid-like compound to newly weaned pigs, in the hopes of finding a delivery method that is effective, less labor intensive, and more animal welfare friendly. In this study, we compared two methods of glucocorticoid-like compound delivery, i.e., in-feed or in-water, to repeated intramuscular injections of the same compound. We also compared the effectiveness of the treatments with that of in-feed antibiotics. We found that the in-feed delivery method of the glucocorticoid-like compound had comparable positive effects on the growth performance of piglets with those of intramuscular injection of the glucocorticoid-like compound or antibiotics. Therefore, in-feed supplementation of the glucocorticoid-like compound is a suitable and viable alternative to the intramuscular injection or in-water delivery methods. Abstract The purpose of the current study was to determine the best method of delivery for glucocorticoid receptor agonist (GRA) treatment. A total of 167 Pig Improvement Company (PIC) piglets (body weight (BW) 7.35 ± 1.24 kg) were weaned at 25.0 ± 0.81 days of age and randomly assigned to 14 treatment groups based on a 2 × 7 factorial arrangement with sex (gilts vs. barrows), in-feed antibiotic (ANT; 110 mg/kg in-feed tylosin), repeated intramuscular (I.M.) injection of GRA (two injections, 0.2 mg/kg BW dexamethasone (DEX)), low dose in-feed GRA (LF, 2.5 mg/kg diet DEX ), high dose in-feed GRA (HF, 5 mg/kg diet DEX), low dose in-water GRA (LW, 0.8 mg/L DEX ), high dose in-water GRA (HW, 1.6 mg/L DEX ), and no treatment control (CON) as the main factors. Body weight and feed intake were measured daily from days 0 to 7 and weekly from days 7 to 28 post-weaning. The interaction effect for average daily gain (ADG) was significant with gilts performing better in the I.M., ANT, and LF groups (p = 0.05). All treatment groups, with the exception of the HW group, had a higher ADG than the CON group. Gilts in the I.M., LF, and HF groups had the highest ADG compared to other treatment groups (p ≤ 0.05). Sex and the interaction between sex and treatments had no effect on the gain-to-feed ratio (G:F; p ≥ 0.21). All treatment groups had a higher G:F than the CON group (p ≥ 0.04). These results suggest that the low-dose, in-feed GRA treatment is the best GRA delivery method and is a suitable alternative to in-feed sub-therapeutic antibiotics.
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22
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Wolf TE, Mangwiro N, Fasina FO, Ganswindt A. Non-invasive monitoring of adrenocortical function in female domestic pigs using saliva and faeces as sample matrices. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234971. [PMID: 32584863 PMCID: PMC7316308 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Intensive pig management involves in a commercial setting the housing and implementation of certain procedures, such as castration and tail docking, which may be stressful for the animal. Good farming practices include the reduction of stress due to management processes, but assessing the level of stress perceived entirely through behavioural observations can be challenging. The monitoring stress-related physiological markers, like glucocorticoids (GC), can be an accurate alternative that would presumably be more objective. In order to avoid an additional stressor by taking blood, a non-invasive approach is advisable. We used an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test and the effect of transport to examine the suitability of different enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for monitoring adrenocortical function in domestic pigs using saliva and faeces as sample matrices. An assay measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) with a 3ß,11ß-diol group has proven suited to determine adrenocortical activity, showing an overall increase of 180% in fGCM concentrations related to ACTH administration and of 70% related to transport, respectively. A cortisol EIA was used to detect salivary glucocorticoid (sGC) concentrations, revealing a 1100% increase in sGC concentrations after ACTH administration. The stability of fGCM concentrations post-defecation was determined to assess possible changes in measured fGCM concentrations in unpreserved faecal material over time, with fGCM concentrations being relatively stable (maximal 12% change) under natural conditions for approximately two days after defecation. This implicates that untreated faecal material from pigs can be analysed for up to two days after collection without appreciable level of depreciation in fGCM concentrations. Being able to assess the physiological stress response of domestic pigs non-invasively can help to improve the well-being of commercially reared pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja E. Wolf
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Norbert Mangwiro
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Folorunso O. Fasina
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- ECTAD, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Tanzania
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Endocrine Research Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
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23
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López-Martínez MJ, Escribano D, Contreras-Aguilar MD, García-Martínez JD, Martínez-Subiela S, Cerón JJ. Salivary D-dimer in pigs: Validation of an automated assay and changes after acute stress. Vet J 2020; 259-260:105472. [PMID: 32553235 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2020.105472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
D-dimer is a peptide found in serum and is derived from the degradation of blood clots. Even though it has been analysed in human saliva, D-dimer has not been previously evaluated in the saliva of any veterinary species, and its source and role remain unknown. The objectives of this research were firstly, to validate the use of an automated method for the measurement of D-dimer in porcine saliva, and secondly, to evaluate whether D-dimer concentration changes in pig saliva after an acute stress stimulus. For this purpose, a complete analytical validation of a commercially-available immunoturbidimetric assay was carried out. In addition, an experimental acute stress model was induced in 11 pigs based on a technique involving restraint by nose-snare immobilisation for 1 min. Saliva samples were subsequently collected at different times and D-dimer, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and cortisol were assessed in order to evaluate changes in its concentrations after the stress induction. The D-dimer automated assay showed adequate reproducibility and sensitivity, with coefficients of variation below 10% and a limit of quantification of 0.167 μg/mL fibrinogen equivalent units (FEU). It also showed a high accuracy, determined by linearity under dilution and recovery tests. In the stress model, a significant increase (P < 0.05) in salivary D-dimer 15 min after the stress stimulus and a positive correlation between D-dimer and sAA (r = 0.51; P < 0.001) were observed. These results indicate that D-dimer can be measured in porcine saliva with an automated method and suggest that its concentration can be influenced by stressful conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J López-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - D Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - M D Contreras-Aguilar
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - J D García-Martínez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Martínez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain.
| | - J J Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", University of Murcia, 30100, Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
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24
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Escribano D, Horvatić A, Contreras-Aguilar MD, Guillemin N, Cerón JJ, Tecles F, Martinez-Miró S, Eckersall PD, Manteca X, Mrljak V. Changes in saliva proteins in two conditions of compromised welfare in pigs: An experimental induced stress by nose snaring and lameness. Res Vet Sci 2019; 125:227-234. [PMID: 31284225 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify biological pathways and proteins differentially expressed in saliva of pigs in two conditions of compromised welfare: an acute stress consisting of restraint with a nose snare and in pigs with lameness which is a highly frequent problem in the swine industry. For this purpose, high-resolution quantitative proteomics based on Tandem Mass Tags labelling was used. Four proteins showed significant differences in the conditions of compromised welfare, namely cornulin, the heat shock protein 27 and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), that showed significant increases, whereas immunoglobulin J chain showed a significant decrease. LDH, which was the protein that showed the highest differences, was selected for validation and clinical evaluation as a diagnostic biomarker. Significant changes in this protein were observed between pigs restrained with a nose snare and pigs with lameness compared with healthy pigs when measured with available commercial assays in a larger population of pigs. In conclusion, this study reports that in situations of compromised welfare on farm, such as acute stress and lameness in pigs, there are changes in proteins and metabolic pathways in saliva, and describes a series of proteins that could potentially be used as biomarkers for both short term acute stress and longer term chronic stress of lameness. These biomarkers would have the advantage of being measured in saliva by a noninvasive and not stressful collection sampling procedure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Escribano
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Anita Horvatić
- ERA Chair FP7, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Maria Dolores Contreras-Aguilar
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Nicolas Guillemin
- ERA Chair FP7, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jose Joaquín Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence 'Campus Mare Nostrum', University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Martinez-Miró
- Department of Animal Production, Veterinary school, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo s/n, 30100 Espinardo, Murcia, Spain
| | - Peter David Eckersall
- ERA Chair FP7, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Rd, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK
| | - Xavier Manteca
- Department of Animal and Food Science, School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vladimir Mrljak
- ERA Chair FP7, Internal Diseases Clinic, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
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25
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Roelofs S, Alferink FAC, Ipema AF, van de Pas T, van der Staay FJ, Nordquist RE. Discrimination learning and judgment bias in low birth weight pigs. Anim Cogn 2019; 22:657-671. [PMID: 31049725 PMCID: PMC6687882 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-019-01262-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Low birth weight (LBW) is a risk factor for cognitive and emotional impairments in humans. In pigs, LBW is a common occurrence, but its effects on cognition and emotion have received only limited scientific attention. To assess whether LBW pigs suffer from impaired cognitive and emotional development, we trained and tested 21 LBW and 21 normal birth weight (NBW) pigs in a judgment bias task. Judgment bias is a measure of emotional state which reflects the influence of emotion on an animal’s interpretation of ambiguous stimuli. Pigs were trained to perform a specific behavioral response to two auditory stimuli, predicting either a positive or negative outcome. Once pigs successfully discriminated between these stimuli, they were presented with intermediate, ambiguous stimuli. The pigs’ responses to ambiguous stimuli were scored as optimistic (performance of ‘positive’ response) or pessimistic (performance of ‘negative’ response). Optimistic or pessimistic interpretation of an ambiguous stimulus is indicative of a positive or negative emotional state, respectively. We found LBW pigs to require more discrimination training sessions than NBW pigs to reach criterion performance, suggesting that LBW causes a mild cognitive impairment in pigs. No effects of LBW on judgment bias were found, suggesting a similar emotional state for LBW and NBW pigs. This was supported by comparable salivary and hair cortisol concentrations for both groups. It is possible the enriched housing conditions and social grouping applied during our study influenced these results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Roelofs
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Studies, Swine Teaching and Research Center, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 W Street Road, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, USA
| | - Floor A C Alferink
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Study Programme Applied Biology, HAS University of Applied Sciences, Onderwijsboulevard 221, 5223 DE, 's Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
| | - Allyson F Ipema
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, De Elst 1, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa van de Pas
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Studies, Swine Teaching and Research Center, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 382 W Street Road, Kennett Square, PA, 19348, USA
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Behaviour and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 7, 3584 CL, Utrecht, The Netherlands. .,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Stratenum Building, Room STR5.203, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Identification of possible new salivary biomarkers of stress in sheep using a high-resolution quantitative proteomic technique. Res Vet Sci 2019; 124:338-345. [PMID: 31060013 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2019] [Revised: 03/30/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify biological pathways and proteins differentially expressed in the saliva proteome of sheep after the application of a model of stress, using high-resolution quantitative proteomics. In addition, one of the proteins differently expressed was verified and evaluated as a possible biomarker of stress in this species. Saliva paired samples from eight sheep before and after the application of a model of stress based on shearing were analysed using tandem mass tags (TMT). The TMT analysis allowed for the identification of new stress-related metabolic pathways and revealed 13 proteins, never described in saliva of sheep, that were differentially expressed between before and after the stress. Six of these proteins pertain to four major metabolic pathways affected, namely: canonical glycolysis, oxygen transport, neural nucleus development, and regulation of actin cytoskeleton reorganization. The rest of proteins were unmapped original proteins such as acyl-coenzyme-A-binding protein; complement C3; alpha-2-macroglobulin isoform-X1; type-II small proline-rich protein; lactoferrin; secretoglobin family-1D-member; and keratin, type-II cytoskeletal 6. Of these proteins, based on its biological significance and specific immunoassay availability, lactoferrin was selected for further validation. The immunoassay intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were lower than 13%. The method showed good linearity under dilution and recovery, and the detection limit was low enough to detect salivary lactoferrin levels. A significant decrease (P < 0.01) in salivary lactoferrin concentration in the sheep following the application of the model of stress was observed, suggesting that this protein could be a potential salivary biomarker of stress situations in sheep.
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Escribano D, Ko HL, Chong Q, Llonch L, Manteca X, Llonch P. Salivary biomarkers to monitor stress due to aggression after weaning in piglets. Res Vet Sci 2019; 123:178-183. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2019.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Roelofs S, Godding L, de Haan JR, van der Staay FJ, Nordquist RE. Effects of parity and litter size on cortisol measures in commercially housed sows and their offspring. Physiol Behav 2018; 201:83-90. [PMID: 30553897 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2018] [Revised: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Breeding sows are regularly exposed to on-farm stressors throughout the duration of their production period. The impact of such stressors may differ for primi- and multiparous sows, as sows could learn to cope with stressors as they gain experience with them. If parity affects stress in sows, it may also impact their prenatal offspring through differential maternal stress. In addition to parity, litter size is another potential factor involved in stress of sows and piglets. Larger litters may be a source of discomfort for gestating sows, while it can result in intra-uterine growth restriction of piglets. In the current study, we aimed to assess whether parity and litter size affect cortisol measures in breeding sows and their offspring. To do this, we measured salivary cortisol concentrations of 16 primiparous and 16 multiparous sows at three time points: 1) while sows were group housed, 2) after sows were separated from the group prior to moving to the farrowing unit and 3) after handling procedures. In addition, hair cortisol concentration was determined for the sows during late gestation and for their low birth weight (n = 63) and normal birth weight (n = 43) offspring on day 3 after birth, to reflect in-utero cortisol exposure. It was expected that if sows adapt to on-farm stressors, the more experienced, multiparous sows would show decreased stress responses in comparison to primiparous sows. However, we found a comparable acute stress response of primi- and multiparous sows to separation from the group. Handling procedures did not influence sows' salivary cortisol concentrations. Sows' hair cortisol concentration was positively correlated with litter size. Future research is needed to assess whether this finding reflects increased stress in sows carrying larger litters. Parity or litter size did not have a direct effect on their offspring's hair cortisol concentration. Larger litters did have a higher occurrence of low birth weight piglets. For these piglets, females had higher neonatal hair cortisol concentrations than males. Overall, our results indicate that breeding sows do not adapt to all on-farm stressors. In addition, litter size may influence HPA axis activity in both sows and piglets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Roelofs
- Behavior & Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Lisa Godding
- Behavior & Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeanne R de Haan
- Behavior & Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Aeres University of Applied Sciences, Almere, The Netherlands
| | - Franz Josef van der Staay
- Behavior & Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Behavior & Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Rey-Salgueiro L, Martinez-Carballo E, Fajardo P, Chapela M, Espiñeira M, Simal-Gandara J. Meat quality in relation to swine well-being after transport and during lairage at the slaughterhouse. Meat Sci 2018; 142:38-43. [DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Roelofs S, van Bommel I, Melis S, van der Staay FJ, Nordquist RE. Low Birth Weight Impairs Acquisition of Spatial Memory Task in Pigs. Front Vet Sci 2018; 5:142. [PMID: 29998130 PMCID: PMC6028702 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In commercial pig farming, an increasing number of low birth weight (LBW) piglets are born, due to selection for large litter sizes. While LBW piglets have a higher risk of pre-weaning mortality, a considerable number of these piglets survive to slaughter age. In humans, LBW is a risk factor for long-term cognitive impairments. In pigs, studies examining the post-weaning effects of LBW on cognition have reported contradictory results. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess the effects of LBW on cognitive development in pigs using an improved study design, by (1) testing a larger sample size than previous studies, (2) assessing acute and chronic stress responses to account for a potential altered stress response in LBW pigs, and (3) testing both female and male pigs to account for potential confounding effects of sex. Learning and memory of 20 LBW pigs and 20 normal birth weight (NBW) pigs, both groups consisting of 10 females and 10 males, were compared using a spatial holeboard task. In this task, pigs had to learn and remember the locations of hidden food rewards. After a pig had successfully acquired the task, it was presented with two successive reversal phases during which it was presented with a new configuration of reward locations. The holeboard allows for simultaneous assessment of working and reference memory, as well as measures of motivation, exploration, and behavioral flexibility. Mixed model ANOVAs revealed a transiently impaired reference memory performance of LBW pigs, implying they had more difficulty learning their reward configuration in the holeboard. Also, LBW piglets showed increased pre-weaning hair cortisol concentrations compared to their NBW siblings. No other effects of LBW were found. Sex had no direct or interaction effects on any measures of holeboard performance or stress. It is possible that the enriched housing conditions applied during our study had an ameliorating effect on our pigs' cognitive development. Overall, our results suggest LBW has a negative effect on post-weaning cognitive performance in pigs. This could have welfare consequences as cognitive skills are required for pigs to learn how to correctly respond to their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanne Roelofs
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Ilse van Bommel
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Graduate School of Life Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stephanie Melis
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Study Programme Applied Biology, HAS University of Applied Sciences, Den Bosch, Netherlands
| | - Franz J van der Staay
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Behavior and Welfare Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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Interference of stress with the somatotropic axis in pigs - lights on new biomarkers. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12055. [PMID: 28935925 PMCID: PMC5608691 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11521-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The acceptance of animal products is increasingly associated with standardized animal welfare, which relates to appropriate animal husbandry from birth to slaughter. In particular, shipment to the slaughterhouse is considered as a critical process exposing the animals to a number of, in part severe, stressors. New biomarkers may be useful for the assessment of animal welfare. The IGF-system has been assessed in a commercial pig transport in conjunction with established markers of stress response. Furthermore, the effect of repeated restraint as an experimental model for repeated acute stress was investigated. During shipment from farm to slaughterhouse, plasma concentrations of IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-2 were significantly reduced (p < 0.01). After shipment, the plasma concentrations of IGFBP-5, glucocorticoids and IL-2 increased but decreased after lairage (p < 0.05) whereas IGF-1 decreased after shipment (p < 0.01). Repeated acute stress increased concentrations of IGFBP-3 and IGF-1 in exsanguination blood (p < 0.05). Differential IGF- signatures can indicate altered endocrine or metabolic control and thus contain complex animal-related information. The somatotropic axis may be of particular interest when established biomarkers such as cortisol, glucose, or lactate cannot be used for the assessment of animal stress or welfare.
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De Santis M, Contalbrigo L, Borgi M, Cirulli F, Luzi F, Redaelli V, Stefani A, Toson M, Odore R, Vercelli C, Valle E, Farina L. Equine Assisted Interventions (EAIs): Methodological Considerations for Stress Assessment in Horses. Vet Sci 2017; 4:E44. [PMID: 29056702 PMCID: PMC5644660 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci4030044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine assisted interventions (EAIs) are recently facing an increasing popularity, and are characterized by a wide diversity of practices. However, information on the welfare of animals involved in this kind of activity is often lacking. Horses are highly susceptible to work stressors related to physical constraints and/or to the need to control emotions while interacting with humans. Considerations of the emotional state of horses involved in EAIs have multiple valences: for the safety of humans and animals involved, for the quality and efficacy of interventions, as well as for ethical reasons. The aim of this unsystematic narrative review is to summarize the different approaches used for the evaluation of horses' stress responses, investigate their application in the context of EAIs, and discuss some methodological considerations for researchers and practitioners involved in EAI. The sources of information are mostly based on electronic databases (i.e., Medline, Scopus and Google scholar), as well as on hand searches of the references of retrieved literature, and discussions with experts in the field. At present, a few studies have investigated horses' stress responses during EAIs, and further studies are recommended, with the final aim to derive a reliable multidimensional method for assessing a horse's reaction during therapeutic programs, ultimately helping professionals to better develop interventions by taking into consideration the animal's perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta De Santis
- Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Laura Contalbrigo
- Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Marta Borgi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Cirulli
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Fabio Luzi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Veronica Redaelli
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Stefani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Marica Toson
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Rosangela Odore
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Cristina Vercelli
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Valle
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Luca Farina
- Italian National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, Italy.
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van der Staay FJ, van Zutphen JA, de Ridder MM, Nordquist RE. Effects of environmental enrichment on decision-making behavior in pigs. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Temple D, Escribano D, Jiménez M, Mainau E, Cerón JJ, Manteca X. Effect of the needle-free "intra dermal application of liquids" vaccination on the welfare of pregnant sows. Porcine Health Manag 2017; 3:9. [PMID: 28405465 PMCID: PMC5382458 DOI: 10.1186/s40813-017-0056-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In commercial pig production, sows are often vaccinated several times per gestation period, resulting in reduced welfare. This preliminary experiment investigated whether the needle-free IDAL vaccinator improves welfare through reduction of stress markers, improvement of behavioural and health parameters compared to traditional needle-syringe method. Results Two treatments (IDAL and NEEDLE) in 6 replicate pens of gestating sows (15 sows per pen) were evaluated using Porcilis® PRRS. The frequency of sows exhibiting an acute fear (or pain) response at the time of injection was significantly lower in the IDAL sows for the four indicators studied (high pitch vocalizations, IDAL = 15.4% vs. NEEDLE = 95.6%, χ2 = 56, P < 0.0001; retreat attempts, IDAL = 2.6% vs. NEEDLE = 56.5%, χ2 = 28, P < 0.0001; turning back, IDAL = 5.1% vs. NEEDLE = 69.6%, χ2 = 36, P < 0.0001; change in behaviour, IDAL = 18% vs. NEEDLE = 95.6%, χ2 = 53, P < 0.001). Sows in the NEEDLE vaccination group had a decreased (P = 0.03) activity the day after vaccination compared to IDAL sows. No significant difference was observed for the other active behaviours and resting postures. Fearful reaction towards the assessor significantly (χ2 = 12, P = 0.001) increased in NEEDLE sows compared to IDAL sows the day after vaccination. At 48 h post-vaccination, IDAL sows tended to have lower blood C-reactive protein levels (IDAL = 21.3 μg/mL vs. NEEDLE = 35.8 μg/mL, P = 0.06) compared to NEEDLE sows. Blood Haptoglobin levels did not differ significantly between treatments 48 h post-vaccination. Chromogranin A tended to show a lower increase after the IDAL treatment, whereas salivary alpha-amylase and salivary cortisol did not differ between treatments when measured 25 min post-vaccination. Conclusions These preliminary results support that needle-free intradermal vaccination is a promising strategy to reduce fear and pain reaction of gestating sows during vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Déborah Temple
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Damián Escribano
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Marta Jiménez
- MSD Animal Health, 37008 Carbajosa de la Sagrada, Salamanca Spain
| | - Eva Mainau
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - José J Cerón
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Xavier Manteca
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
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Yun J, Björkman S, Pöytäkangas M, Peltoniemi O. The effects of ovarian biopsy and blood sampling methods on salivary cortisol and behaviour in sows. Res Vet Sci 2017; 114:80-85. [PMID: 28324812 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2017.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In reproductive physiology research, experimental animals are often subjected to stressful procedures, including blood sampling and biopsy. In this present study, presence of pain or distress induced by four different procedures was examined using a measurement of salivary cortisol levels and activity observations in sows. The treatments were: 1) PAL: The ovary was palpated through the rectum without snaring, 2) TUB: transvaginal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the ovary was conducted without snaring, 3) SNA: a soft rope snare was placed around the maxilla, 4) CAT: A soft rope snare was placed around the maxilla, and an intravenous catheter was inserted through the ear vein of the sows. Activities, social cohesion and other pain-related behaviour, and salivary cortisol concentrations were recorded. Salivary cortisol concentrations in CAT sows increased in response to the procedure (P<0.05), whereas the other treatments did not trigger a significant response. The CAT sows had higher cortisol concentrations than the other groups for 10min after initiation of the procedures (P<0.01), and they maintained higher cortisol levels than the PAL and TUB groups 15min post-treatment (P<0.05). Furthermore, the CAT sows showed the highest frequency of head shaking (P<0.001) and trembling behaviour (P<0.05) during the 1h post-treatment. Summarizing, the catheterization procedure might induce a short-term pain or stress response during and after the procedure in terms of pain-related behaviour and salivary cortisol status. We suggest that TUB might not cause appreciable pain or distress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhyeon Yun
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Stefan Björkman
- Production Animal Hospital, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, Finland
| | - Merja Pöytäkangas
- Research Centre for Animal Welfare, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 57, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Peltoniemi
- Production Animal Hospital, Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Paroninkuja 20, 04920 Saarentaus, Finland
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Abstract
For the important foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica to cause disease or persist in pigs, it has evolved an intricate set of interactions between itself, the host, and the indigenous microflora of the host. S. enterica must evade the host's immune system and must also overcome colonization resistance mediated by the pig's indigenous microflora. The inflammatory response against S. enterica provides the bacteria with unique metabolites and is thus exploited by S. enterica for competitive advantage. During infection, changes in the composition of the indigenous microflora occur that have been associated with a breakdown in colonization resistance. Healthy pigs that are low-level shedders of S. enterica also exhibit alterations in their indigenous microflora similar to those in ill animals. Here we review the literature on the interactions that occur between swine, S. enterica, and the indigenous microflora and discuss methods to reduce or prevent colonization of pigs with S. enterica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeun Bum Kim
- Department of Animal Resources Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea 31116;
| | - Richard E Isaacson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108;
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Schmidt EMS, Escribano D, Martinez-Subiela S, Martinez-Miró S, Hernández F, Tvarijonaviciute A, Cerón JJ, Tecles F. Development and validation of an assay for measurement of leptin in pig saliva. BMC Vet Res 2016; 12:242. [PMID: 27793146 PMCID: PMC5084321 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0871-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 10/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leptin has been measured in human in saliva samples. However, the low leptin concentration found in this biological fluid makes necessary the use of high sensitive methods. To the authors’ knowledge, leptin has not been measured in porcine saliva. This study aimed to develop and validate a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TR-IFMA) for salivary leptin measurements in pigs, using a species-specific antibody, and to evaluate how salivary leptin changes with body weight, food ingestion, and in experimental models of stress and inflammation. Polyclonal antibodies were produced in rabbits immunized with recombinant porcine leptin and used to develop a sandwich TR-IFMA. Results The method had intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation lower than 10 and 16 %, respectively. The assay was accurate and the low limit of detection allowed detection of leptin in all analyzed samples. Salivary leptin concentration was positively correlated to body weight (r = 0.58, P = 0.01) and increased after food ingestion (P < 0.001) and after 24 h of applying a model of experimental inflammation by turpentine injection (P < 0.05). However, it did not significantly change after a model of acute stress consisting of a nose snare restraining. Conclusion These results indicate that the developed assay can measure leptin in porcine saliva in a reliable way and that leptin in saliva is influenced by body weight, food ingestion and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M S Schmidt
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (FMVZ - UNESP), campus of Botucatu. Rua Dr. Walter Maurício Correa, s/n, Botucatu, SP, 18618-681, Brazil
| | - Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary Clinical Hospital, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Silvia Martinez-Subiela
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary Clinical Hospital, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Silvia Martinez-Miró
- Animal Production Department, Veterinary School, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Fuensanta Hernández
- Animal Production Department, Veterinary School, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Asta Tvarijonaviciute
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary Clinical Hospital, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain.,Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Veterinary School, University Autonoma of Barcelona, Bellaterra, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
| | - José J Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary Clinical Hospital, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis (Interlab-UMU), Veterinary Clinical Hospital, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, Espinardo-Murcia, 30100, Spain.
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Martínez-Miró S, Tecles F, Ramón M, Escribano D, Hernández F, Madrid J, Orengo J, Martínez-Subiela S, Manteca X, Cerón JJ. Causes, consequences and biomarkers of stress in swine: an update. BMC Vet Res 2016; 12:171. [PMID: 27543093 PMCID: PMC4992232 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-016-0791-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In recent decades there has been a growing concern about animal stress on intensive pig farms due to the undesirable consequences that stress produces in the normal physiology of pigs and its effects on their welfare and general productive performance. This review analyses the most important types of stress (social, environmental, metabolic, immunological and due to human handling), and their biological consequences for pigs. The physio-pathological changes associated with stress are described, as well as the negative effects of stress on pig production. In addition an update of the different biomarkers used for the evaluation of stress is provided. These biomarkers can be classified into four groups according to the physiological system or axis evaluated: sympathetic nervous system, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and immune system. CONCLUSIONS Stress it is a process with multifactorial causes and produces an organic response that generates negative effects on animal health and production. Ideally, a panel of various biomarkers should be used to assess and evaluate the stress resulting from diverse causes and the different physiological systems involved in the stress response. We hope that this review will increase the understanding of the stress process, contribute to a better control and reduction of potential stressful stimuli in pigs and, finally, encourage future studies and developments to better monitor, detect and manage stress on pig farms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Martínez-Miró
- Department of Animal Production, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Fernando Tecles
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Marina Ramón
- Department of Animal Production, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Damián Escribano
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Fuensanta Hernández
- Department of Animal Production, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Josefa Madrid
- Department of Animal Production, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan Orengo
- Department of Animal Production, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Martínez-Subiela
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Xavier Manteca
- Department of Animal and Food Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - José Joaquín Cerón
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Campus of Excellence Mare Nostrum, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
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39
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Ear tagging in piglets: the cortisol response with and without analgesia in comparison with castration and tail docking. Animal 2016; 10:1864-1870. [PMID: 27146422 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731116000811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The objectives of the present study were to compare the cortisol response caused by ear tagging piglets with the distress caused by other known painful husbandry procedures (e.g. castration and tail docking) and to evaluate the effectiveness of analgesia with meloxicam to reduce the cortisol response caused by these procedures. In total, 210 male piglets were randomised to equal numbers (n=30) into one of seven groups: a control group which was only handled (H), an ear tagged group that received no analgesia (ET), an ear tagged group with analgesia (ETM), a castration group with no analgesia (C), a castration group with analgesia (CM), a tail-docked group with no analgesia (TD) and a tail-docked group with analgesia (TDM). The procedures were carried out on day 3 or 4 after farrowing. Five blood samples were taken from each piglet: 30 min before the respective procedure (baseline value), and 30, 60 min, 4 and 7 h after processing, to assess cortisol concentrations. Means as well as the area under the curve (AUC) value were analysed and the effective sizes of the procedures were established. At 7 h after the experimental treatment, cortisol concentrations had returned to base values in all groups. ET evoked a greater cortisol response than H piglets at 30 min (P<0.001) and 60 min (P=0.001). The cortisol response to ET was lower than C at 30 min (P=0.001) but did not differ significantly at the other sample times. The mean cortisol response was similar between ET and TD piglets over all sample times. Taking both intensity and duration of the cortisol response into account (AUC), ET evoked a greater response than TD. Analgesia (ETM) resulted in significantly lower cortisol levels than ET at 30 and 60 min post-procedure. Castration (C) provoked the highest cortisol response of all procedures; a significant analgesic effect (CM) was shown only at 4 h post-procedure. TD resulted in significantly higher cortisol levels than H piglets only at 30 min; analgesia (TDM) significantly reduced the cortisol response at 30 min. We conclude that ear tagging causes a dramatic increase in cortisol levels compared with handling alone in piglets, which suggests that this procedure causes substantial distress. However, further research is needed to confirm these results.
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40
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Fijn L, Antonides A, Aalderink D, Nordquist RE, van der Staay FJ. Does litter size affect emotionality, spatial learning and memory in piglets? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2016.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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41
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van der Staay FJ, Schoonderwoerd AJ, Stadhouders B, Nordquist RE. Overnight Social Isolation in Pigs Decreases Salivary Cortisol but Does Not Impair Spatial Learning and Memory or Performance in a Decision-Making Task. Front Vet Sci 2016; 2:81. [PMID: 26793715 PMCID: PMC4707236 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2015.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigs in modern farming practice may be exposed to a number of stressors, including social stressors such as mixing or isolation. This may potentially affect both cognitive abilities and stress physiology of the animals. We tested the hypothesis that overnight social isolation in pigs impairs performance in a cognitive holeboard (HB) task (Experiment 1) and the Pig Gambling Task (PGT) (Experiment 2), a decision-making task inspired by the Iowa Gambling Task. In addition, we tested the effect of overnight social isolation on salivary cortisol levels. A within-subjects approach was used in which performance in the two behavioral tasks and cortisol levels were first determined during normal social housing, followed by performance and cortisol levels after experiencing stress induced by overnight social isolation. A total of 19 female pigs with a birth weight closest to their respective litter average was selected from 10 different litters and placed in two pens after weaning. Following habituation, pigs were trained in the HB task, starting at 10 weeks of age. Then, the pigs were isolated overnight, five individuals per night, at 15, 16, and 17 weeks of age. Between these three isolations, social housing and training in the HB continued. Starting 6 weeks after the end of the HB experiment, at approximately 23 weeks of age, the pigs were trained in the PGT. The effects of overnight social isolation on performance in this task were assessed once, when the pigs were 25 weeks old. Salivary cortisol was measured from samples collected 15 min after the start of isolation and at the end of the isolation period and compared to baseline values collected before the start of social isolation. Our results did not confirm the hypothesis that isolation impaired HB performance and decision-making in the PGT. Unexpectedly, overnight social isolation decreased cortisol levels below baseline values, an effect that was not associated with changes in performance of the behavioral tasks. We hypothesized that the housing and testing conditions may have prepared the animals to cope efficiently with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Josef van der Staay
- Emotion and Cognition Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | - Bo Stadhouders
- Applied Biology, HAS University of Applied Sciences , Den Bosch , Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E Nordquist
- Emotion and Cognition Group, Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Utrecht, Netherlands
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42
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Adcock SJJ, Martin GM, Walsh CJ. The stress response and exploratory behaviour in Yucatan minipigs (Sus scrofa): Relations to sex and social rank. Physiol Behav 2015; 152:194-202. [PMID: 26450148 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
According to the coping styles hypothesis, an individual demonstrates an integrated behavioural and physiological response to environmental challenge that is consistent over time and across situations. Individual consistency in behavioural responses to challenge has been documented across the animal kingdom. Comparatively few studies, however, have examined inter-individual variation in the physiological response, namely glucocorticoid and catecholamine levels, the stress hormones secreted by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system, respectively. Variation in coping styles between individuals may be explained in part by differences in social rank and sex. Using 20 Yucatan minipigs (Sus scrofa) we: (1) investigated the existence of consistent inter-individual variation in exploratory behaviour and the hormonal stress response, and tested for correlations as predicted by the coping styles hypothesis; and (2) evaluated whether inter-individual behavioural and hormonal variation is related to social rank and sex. Salivary stress biomarkers (cortisol, alpha-amylase, chromogranin A) were assessed in the presence and absence of a stressor consisting of social isolation in a crate for 10 min. Principal components analysis on a set of behavioural variables revealed two traits, which we labelled exploratory tendency and neophobia. Neither exploratory tendency nor neophobia predicted the physiological stress response. Subordinate pigs exhibited higher catecholamine levels compared to dominant conspecifics. We observed sex differences in the repeatability of salivary stress markers and reactivity of the stress systems. The results do not provide support for the existence of behavioural-physiological coping styles in pigs. Sex is an important determinant of the physiological stress response and warrants consideration in research addressing behavioural and hormonal variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J J Adcock
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Programme, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Gerard M Martin
- Psychology Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
| | - Carolyn J Walsh
- Psychology Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL A1B 3X9, Canada
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43
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Changes in saliva biomarkers of stress and immunity in domestic pigs exposed to a psychosocial stressor. Res Vet Sci 2015; 102:38-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2015] [Revised: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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Abstract
Given that surgical castration is a painful practice performed on millions of pigs every year, a need to identify novel reliable pain assessment tools exists in order to test anaesthetic and analgesic protocols that may reduce related pain. Two treatments were considered: handling (H) and surgical castration (C). Physiological (cortisol, lactate, glycaemia, rectal and eye temperature) and behavioural variables (latency to move after treatment and alterations in posture and walking) were analysed. Cortisol showed the greatest level in C piglets within 20 min after the surgical procedure and a positive correlation with glucose concentration. Eye temperature was higher in C piglets, and the same difference was detected for rectal temperature 3 h after castration. Behavioural parameters revealed that C piglets had longer latency to move and a higher percentage of them showed alterations in posture and walking. Results of this study showed that, in castrated piglets behavioural and physiological alterations occur mainly in the first 3 h from treatment. Latency to move, alterations in posture and walking, and eye temperature appear to give additional and useful information in piglet pain assessment. However, differently from the behavioural parameters considered, eye temperature involves several manipulations of the animals and a long process to acquire the data.
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Tallet C, Sy K, Prunier A, Nowak R, Boissy A, Boivin X. Behavioural and physiological reactions of piglets to gentle tactile interactions vary according to their previous experience with humans. Livest Sci 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2014.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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46
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Salivary testosterone measurements in growing pigs: validation of an automated chemiluminescent immunoassay and its possible use as an acute stress marker. Res Vet Sci 2014; 97:20-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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47
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Impact of feed restriction on health, digestion and faecal microbiota of growing pigs housed in good or poor hygiene conditions. Animal 2014; 8:1632-42. [PMID: 24963640 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731114001608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Feed restriction could be a relevant strategy to preserve gut health, reduce systemic inflammatory response and finally limit antibiotic use. This study assessed the effect of feed restriction on growing pigs submitted to a moderate inflammatory challenge induced by the degradation of the environmental hygiene that is known to alter growth rate. The experiment was run on 80 pigs selected at 7 weeks of age according to a 2×2 factorial design: two feeding levels, ad libitum (AL) and feed restricted (FR) at 60% of AL, and two conditions of environmental hygiene, clean and dirty. Pigs were housed individually throughout the experiment. From 61 to 68 days of age (day 0 to 7), pigs were housed in a post weaning unit and feed restriction was applied to half of the pigs from day 0 to day 29. At 68 days of age (day 7 of the experiment), pigs were transferred in a growing unit where half of FR and half of AL pigs were housed in a dirty environment (poor hygiene) and the other half in a clean environment (good hygiene) until day 42. Growth performance was recorded weekly. Blood and faeces samples were collected to measure indicators of inflammation, nutrient digestibility and microbiota composition. Faecal consistency was monitored daily to detect diarrhoeas. Feed restriction decreased daily weight gain (-35% to -50%, P<0.001), increased the feed conversion ratio (+15%, P<0.001) and CP digestibility (+3%, P<0.05) and reduced the occurrence of diarrhoeas irrespective of hygiene conditions. Poor hygiene conditions decreased growth performance (-20%, P<0.05) and total tract digestibility of all nutrients (P<0.001). Haptoglobin (+50%) concentrations and lymphocyte (+10%) and granulocyte (+40%) numbers were higher in poor hygiene conditions (P<0.05), confirming that the model was effective to induce a systemic inflammatory response. Both feed restriction and hygiene modified the profile of the faecal microbiota. In this study, feed restriction did not reduce the systemic inflammatory response caused by poor hygiene conditions despite the limitation of the occurrence of digestive disorders. However, our study opens discussions regarding the impact of hygiene and feed restriction on gut microbial communities and digestive health.
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48
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Hair cortisol determination in sows in two consecutive reproductive cycles. Reprod Biol 2014; 14:218-23. [PMID: 25152520 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2014.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2013] [Revised: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 06/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hair analysis has been proposed as a minimally invasive technique capable of furnishing information regarding the stress response during medium- and long-term periods. Bristle samples were collected from the rump region of sows at three key physiological phases (before delivery - BD; weaning time - WT; pregnancy diagnosis - PD) during consecutive reproductive cycles in order to test swine hair as a reliable matrix of cortisol evaluation. Cortisol was extracted from the bristles and assayed using radioimmunoassay. The highest mean hair cortisol concentrations were demonstrated (p<0.001) at the PD time points (20.1±.95 and 16.29±2.15 pg/mg). Moreover, cortisol was significantly higher (p<0.001) at BD2 (10.48±0.96 pg/mg) as compared to BD1 (5.17±0.51 pg/mg) and WT1 (6.01±0.47 pg/mg). The various physiological phases had a significant effect on cortisol concentration (p<0.00001) with a higher cortisol concentration found during late pregnancy and lactation than in early-mid pregnancy. This could be due not only to the physiological hormonal status, but also to the different housing conditions (single crates vs. group housing). The season of the year was also observed to have an effect (p<0.005), with the lowest cortisol concentration recorded during the hot season.
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Ott S, Soler L, Moons CPH, Kashiha MA, Bahr C, Vandermeulen J, Janssens S, Gutiérrez AM, Escribano D, Cerón JJ, Berckmans D, Tuyttens FAM, Niewold TA. Different stressors elicit different responses in the salivary biomarkers cortisol, haptoglobin, and chromogranin A in pigs. Res Vet Sci 2014; 97:124-8. [PMID: 24957408 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Most commonly, salivary cortisol is used in pig stress assessment, alternative salivary biomarkers are scarcely studied. Here, salivary cortisol and two alternative salivary biomarkers, haptoglobin and chromogranin A were measured in a pig stress study. Treatment pigs (n = 24) were exposed to mixing and feed deprivation, in two trials, and compared to untreated controls (n = 24). Haptoglobin differed for feed deprivation vs control. Other differences were only found within treatment. Treatment pigs had higher salivary cortisol concentrations on the mixing day (P < 0.05). Chromogranin A concentrations were increased on the day of refeeding (P < 0.05). Haptoglobin showed a similar pattern to chromogranin A. Overall correlations between the salivary biomarkers were positive. Cortisol and chromogranin A were moderately correlated (r = 0.49, P < 0.0001), correlations between other markers were weaker. The present results indicate that different types of stressors elicited different physiological stress responses in the pigs, and therefore including various salivary biomarkers in stress evaluation seems useful.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ott
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - L Soler
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - C P H Moons
- Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - M A Kashiha
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - C Bahr
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - J Vandermeulen
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - S Janssens
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - A M Gutiérrez
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Murcia, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - D Escribano
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Murcia, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - J J Cerón
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Murcia, Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - D Berckmans
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - F A M Tuyttens
- Animal Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium; Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Animal Sciences Unit, Scheldeweg 68, B-9090 Melle, Belgium
| | - T A Niewold
- Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
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50
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Escribano D, Campos PHRF, Gutiérrez AM, Le Floc'h N, Cerón JJ, Merlot E. Effect of repeated administration of lipopolysaccharide on inflammatory and stress markers in saliva of growing pigs. Vet J 2014; 200:393-7. [PMID: 24814313 DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2014.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Revised: 03/23/2014] [Accepted: 04/08/2014] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Although saliva could be considered to be an ideal biological sample for evaluation of biomarkers relating to stress and inflammatory responses in pigs, little is known about how these might be influenced by the presence of endotoxaemia. In the present study, the response to repeated administrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was investigated, using a panel of salivary stress markers such as chromogranin A (CgA) and cortisol, as well as inflammatory/immune markers such as haptoglobin (Hp), C-reactive protein (CRP) and immunoglobulin A (IgA). Sixteen growing pigs were adapted to experimental conditions for 3 weeks, after which, 10 of the pigs were selected to receive three doses of LPS at 48 h intervals. Saliva samples were taken from all pigs prior to any LPS administration (baseline) and at time points corresponding to 3 h after each injection of LPS (T1, T2 and T3). Results showed that repeated administration of LPS induced significant elevation of salivary markers of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (cortisol) and immune (Hp, CRP and IgA) activity compared to baseline levels (P < 0.05). However, rectal temperature, CRP and cortisol data suggested that the amplitude of the inflammatory response decreased with successive LPS administrations. Thus, measurement of salivary biomarkers could be a practical tool for evaluating the inflammatory response to endotoxaemia in pigs. In the case of chronic inflammatory states, salivary Hp and IgA might be more sensitive markers than CRP or cortisol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Escribano
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum," University of Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia 30100, Spain
| | - Paulo H R F Campos
- National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France; Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - Ana M Gutiérrez
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum," University of Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia 30100, Spain
| | - Nathalie Le Floc'h
- National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France; Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France
| | - José J Cerón
- Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Analysis, Interlab-UMU, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum," University of Murcia, Espinardo, Murcia 30100, Spain
| | - Elodie Merlot
- National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35590 Saint-Gilles, France; Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 PEGASE, F-35000 Rennes, France.
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