Behaviour during transportation predicts stress response and lower airway contamination in horses

Veterinary Internal Medicne

Davis

Raidal

2020

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Background Transportation has been suggested as a risk factor for gastric ulceration in horses, but limited evidence supports this assumption. Animals Twenty‐six Standardbred, Thoroughbred, and Warmblood mares from a university teaching herd. Methods Twelve mares were confined for 12 hours, overnight, in reproductive stocks with indwelling nasogastric tubes (NGTs) to assess pH of gastric fluid (GF). Gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after confinement. Subsequently, 26 horses were transported for 12 hours, overnight, in 2 consignments. During transportation, GF was aspirated from indwelling NGT placed in the same 12 mares used in the confinement study, and gastric ulceration was assessed endoscopically before and after transportation in all horses. Results The median pH of GF in confined horses was 1.70‐2.49 at each sampling point, and there was no apparent effect on gastric squamous ulcer scores. The median pH of GF from the same 12 horses at corresponding sampling times during transportation was 6.82‐7.22. Transportation was associated with increased gastric squamous ulcer scores, particularly in horses fasted for gastroscopy and NGT placement immediately before departure. Gastric emptying appeared delayed after transportation in horses fed before departure. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Transportation is associated with increased gastric squamous ulceration and with increased pH of GF. These findings may be a consequence of impaired gastric emptying and reflux of alkaline small intestinal content, with factors such as duodenal bile salts and short‐chain fatty acids mediating mucosal injury.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares

Veterinary Internal Medicne

Davis

Raidal

2020

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“…Transportation has been identified as a stressor for horses, and has been associated with several adverse outcomes including injury, respiratory and gastrointestinal disease [1][2][3][4][5][6]. We have recently shown that 12 hours' transportation is associated with ulceration of the gastric squamous mucosa in fasted horses, associated with increased pH of gastric content, and possibly with decreased gastrointestinal motility in horses fed 1 h and 6 h prior to transportation [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Transport Conditions on Behavioural and Physiological Responses of Horses

Raidal

2020

Animals

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The regulations for minimal space and direction of travel for land transport in horses vary worldwide and there is currently no definitive guidance to promote equine health and welfare. This study evaluated the effects of bay size and direction of travel (forwards/backwards) in horses by comparing the behavioural, physiological, laboratory and gastroscopy parameters between transported and confined horses. A total of twenty-six mares took part in the study; 12 horses were confined for 12 h, and all mares underwent 12 hours’ transportation, travelling in single (n = 18) or wide bays (n = 8), and forward (n = 10) or rear (n = 16) facing. Behaviour was recorded during confinement/transportation and analysed using a behaviour sampling ethogram. Clinical examination, blood samples and gastroscopy were conducted before and after confinement/transportation. The frequency of behaviours relating to stress and balance increased during transport, and horses transported in a rear-facing position and in a wider bay size showed fewer balance-related behaviours. Balance behaviours, particularly loss of balance, were positively associated with the severity of gastric ulceration after transportation and elevated muscle enzymes, while increased stress behaviours correlated with decreased gastrointestinal sounds. Heart rate and rectal temperature after transportation were positively associated with balance and stress behaviours, and with squamous gastric ulcer scores. Transportation was associated with expected increases in cortisol and muscle enzymes, but positioning and space allowance had minimal effects on these analytes. Findings suggest that transportation in a rear-facing position and in wider bays might reduce the impact of transport on horse health and welfare, and monitoring behaviour in transit and physiological measurements after transportation should be recommended. Behavioural and physiological parameters were more sensitive than haematological, biochemical or endocrine analytes to identify horses suffering from transport stress.

“…The syndrome has a multifactorial etiology, including infectious agents, host and environmental factors, with particular emphasis on transport stress. The latter is indeed responsible for physiological changes that favor pathogen proliferation and invasion of tissues by opportunistic pathogens [1][2][3][4][5]. Viruses and stress-related behavior interfere with the mucociliary clearance of the respiratory tract and dysregulate the tracheal antimicrobial peptides of the innate defenses, allowing opportunistic bacteria to cause pulmonary infections [2,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence of Pathogens Related to Bovine Respiratory Disease Before and After Transportation in Beef Steers: Preliminary Results

Cirone

Tullio

et al. 2019

Animals

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Simple Summary: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) affects the lower respiratory tract of cattle, causing high mortality. The syndrome has a multifactorial etiology and transport seems to favor pathogen proliferation. This study investigated the prevalence of different pathogens involved in BRD, in the nasal microbiota of beef steers collected before and after a long-distance journey. A total of 56 Limousine animals were included, travelling in three different shipments, on the same route from France to southern Italy in a semitrailer, on three different days from February to April. Prior to shipment (T0) and four days after arrival (T1), two deep nasopharyngeal swabs (DNS)/steer were collected and tested by bimolecular analysis. Neither bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) nor bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1) were detected. A higher prevalence of Histophilus somni was observed in the DNS collected during the third shipment in comparison with those registered during the first and the second one, probably due to a higher prevalence at departure. Conversely, the prevalence of bovine coronavirus, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, Mannheimia haemolytica, Mycoplasma bovis and Pasteurella multocida was higher on arrival in comparison with departure, confirming data reported in the literature. Overall, there were nasal microbiota changes in beef steers, with an increase in the prevalence of pathogens associated with BRD after travelling.Abstract: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a serious health and economic problem in the beef industry, which is often associated with transportation and caused by different pathogens. The prevalence of bovine herpesvirus type 1 (BoHV-1), bovine adenovirus (BAdV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV), bovine parainfluenza virus (BPiV), Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, Histophilus somni, Mycoplasma bovis, in the nasal microbiota of beef steers before and after the same long-distance journey from France to southern Italy was documented. Fifty-six Limousine animals of three different shipments, travelling on three different days from February to April, were included. Prior to shipment (T0) and four days after arrival (T1), two DNS/animal were collected and tested by Real Time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Univariate logistic regression was carried out, considering time and day as fixed factors and the outcome of qPCR for each pathogen as a dependent categorical dichotomous variable (positive/negative, 1/0). The fact that the number of H. somni positive animals were found to be higher in the third shipment than the first and second one, indicating that this pathogen was already present before loading, is relevant. The prevalence of BCoV, BRSV, M. haemolytica, M. bovis, P. multocida was higher at T1 than T0, suggesting that other factors, such as stress and the epidemiological status of the arrival farm, played a role. The tested animals were not treated before and after transport, and our results are in Animals 20...