Department of Morphology, Biochemistry, Physiology and Animal Production - Unit of Veterinary Physiology, University of Messina, Polo Universitario Annunziata, Messina 98168, Italy.
Vet Rec. 2012;171(25):644. doi: 10.1136/vr.100480. Epub 2012 Nov 7.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of prolonged transportation on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, total and free triiodothyronine (T(3), fT(3)) and thyroxine (T(4), fT(4)) concentrations, and functional variables (heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT)) in calm and temperamental Limousin young beef bulls. Exit velocity measurement was used to classify bulls' temperament as calm (group I: consisted of eight slowest bulls) and temperamental (group II: consisted of five fastest bulls). Calm subjects showed an increase of ACTH (P<0.05) and T(4) (P<0.01) concentrations after transportation compared with before transportation values. Temperamental subjects showed higher ACTH (P<0.01) concentrations before transportation, and lower T(4) (P<0.05) and fT(4) (P<0.001) concentrations after transportation than calm subjects. Related to functional variables, temperamental young beef bulls showed a decrease of RT (P<0.05) after transportation compared with before values, higher RT (P<0.001) before transportation, and higher HR (P<0.001) and RR (P<0.01) after transportation than calm subjects. Data obtained suggest that longer periods of transportation could minimise the magnitude and duration of the endocrine and functional responses to stress of young beef bulls; such responses probably decrease or disappear during transport, in accordance with animal temperament.
本研究旨在评估长途运输对安静和易激动的利木赞青年公牛的促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）、皮质醇、总三碘甲状腺原氨酸（T(3)，fT(3))和甲状腺素（T(4)，fT(4))浓度以及功能变量（心率（HR）、呼吸频率（RR）和直肠温度（RT））的影响。采用出口速度测量法将公牛的气质分为安静型（I 组：由 8 头最慢的公牛组成）和易激动型（II 组：由 5 头最快的公牛组成）。与运输前相比，安静型公牛在运输后 ACTH（P<0.05）和 T(4)（P<0.01）浓度增加。易激动型公牛在运输前具有更高的 ACTH（P<0.01）浓度，而在运输后 T(4)（P<0.05）和 fT(4)（P<0.001）浓度低于安静型公牛。与功能变量有关，易激动型青年公牛在运输后 RT（P<0.05）比运输前降低，在运输前 RT（P<0.001）更高，在运输后 HR（P<0.001）和 RR（P<0.01）更高比安静型公牛。数据表明，长途运输可以最小化青年公牛对压力的内分泌和功能反应的幅度和持续时间；这种反应可能在运输过程中减少或消失，与动物的气质有关。
