Effects of handling, shearing and previous exposure to shearing on cortisol and β-endorphin responses in ewes

Abstract

. 1999. Effects of handling, shearing and previous exposure to shearing on cortisol and β β-endorphin responses in ewes. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 79: [35][36][37][38]. The objectives of the study were to compare the effects of handling and shearing on plasma cortisol and β-endorphin levels of ewes and to determine if adaptation to annual shearing occurred. Plasma cortisol and β-endorphin concentrations were determined during either handling only or handling plus shearing in 12 ewes previously exposed to annual shearing (1-4 times) and in 12 naïve ewes. The handling process consisted of four steps: 1) moving ewes from their quarters into the shearing room; 2) moving them in groups of four into a holding pen; 3) moving them in pairs to a shearing platform where they were up-ended and restrained as in shearing; and 4) moving them into another holding pen in the shearing room. Half of the ewes were sheared during step 3 of the handling process. Handling and shearing elevated (P < 0.0001) plasma cortisol and β-endorphin concentrations, but the responses to the handling process and to the handling plus shearing process were similar (P > 0.1). Moving the ewes from their quarters to the shearing platform resulted in significantly higher plasma cortisol, which remained elevated for 60 min. Plasma β-endorphin was only transiently elevated after shearing was completed. Previous exposure to shearing enhanced the cortisol (P < 0.001) and β-endorphin (P < 0.05) responses to handling and shearing. Both responses were significantly greater and longer in the ewes sheared previously. The results indicate that the stress response to handling was equivalent to that of handling plus shearing, and that the stress response was much greater in ewes previously exposed to annual shearing. Nos recherches avaient pour objet de comparer les effets des manipulations et de la tonte sur les niveaux plasmatiques de cortisol et de β-endorphine des brebis et d'établir si les bêtes acquièrent une certaine adaptation aux tontes annuelles. Nous avons mesuré les concentrations plasmatiques de cortisol et de β-endorphine, soit durant les manipulations seules, soit durant les manipulations avec tonte chez 12 brebis déjà auparavant exposées, une à quatre fois, à la tonte annuelle et chez 12 brebis non encore précédem-ment tondues. Les manipulations consistaient en quatre étapes: 1) déplacer les brebis de leur logement jusqu'à la salle de tonte, 2) les déplacer par groupe de quatre, jusqu'à l'enclos d'attente, 3) les amener par paire jusqu'au plateau de tonte où elles étaient renverscés et mises en contention pour la tonte réelle ou fictive et 4) les amener à un autre parquet d'attente dans la salle de tonte. La moitié des brebis étaient effectivement tondues durant l'étape 3. Les manipulations avec tonte réelle produisaient une montée significative (P < 0,0001) des concentrations plasmatiques de cortisol et de β-endorphine, mais il n'y avait pas de différence (P > 0,01) entre ces réponses et celles obtenues après simples manipulations. Le déplacement des breb...

Clinical parameters and adrenocortical activity to assess stress responses of alpacas using different methods of restraint either alone or with shearing

“…This had been expected and described in other domestic and wild animals (Hargreaves and Hutson 1990a, Mears and others 1999, Bonacic and Macdonald 2003, Carcangiu and others 2008, Piccione and others 2008, 2011, Sanger and others 2011, Casella and other 2016). The clinical parameters and salivary cortisol concentrations in part 1 showed that the stress response was different between restraint methods, although the FCM did not.…”

“…However, contradictory results have been described in a different study in sheep in which the stress response caused by shearing was even higher in animals which had been previously exposed to shearing (Mears and others 1999). To our best knowledge, such studies have not been performed in alpacas yet.…”

The effect of mid-pregnancy stressors on twin-lamb live weight and body dimensions at birth

“…These events combine to produce an acute stress response: increased plasma concentrations of cortisol, β-endorphin, glucose and increased heart rate and haematocrit (Jephcott et al, 1987;Hargreaves and Hutson, 1990a,b,c;Mears et al, 1999). Shearing produced a larger cortisol response than crutching, isolation and handling (Hargreaves and Hutson, 1990a,c).…”

Stress responses to comparative handling procedures in sheep

“…Moolchandani et al (2008) examined the effect of restraint and isolation in preand post-applications in sheep and reported that restraint and isolation stress significantly affects on the plasma cortisol with an increasing trend. In another research, Mears et al (1999) examined the effects of handling, shearing and previous exposure to shearing on cortisol and b-endorphin responses in ewes. They found significant differences between pre-and post-applications and indicated that handling and shearing elevated plasma cortisol and b-endorphin concentrations.…”