Effects of season, sex, and sample collection on concentrations of fecal cortisol metabolites in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Huber, Susanne; Palme, Rüpert; Arnold, Walter

doi:10.1016/s0016-6480(02)00535-x

Cited by 176 publications

(185 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…For example, Reyes et al (1997) reported two peaks in male pudu (Pudu pudu) cortisol secretion, one in winter and another in fall. Huber et al (2003) noted highest FGM values in winter in red deer (Cervus elaphus), which they attributed to winter temperatures and snow. These discrepancies are likely due to different seasonal and site-specific stressors that are most important to an animal.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships Among Fecal Lungworm Loads, Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites, and Lamb Recruitment in Free-Ranging Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Millspaugh

Washburn

Brundige

et al. 2005

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Most wild Rocky Mountain big-horn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) in northern latitudes are infected with lungworms. Indirect effects of lungworms on bighorn sheep are unknown, but high pulmonary burdens might increase stress (i.e., elevated glucocorticoid levels), and chronic stress could in turn decrease fitness. We hypothesized that high lungworm burdens in Rocky Mountain bighorn ewes increase stress, thereby increasing lamb mortality. To test our hypothesis, one subherd of bighorn sheep in Custer State Park, South Dakota was provided a free-choice loose mineral mix containing the anthelmintic fenbendazole every six weeks from March 1999 to August 2000 to eliminate lungworms; another subherd served as the control. Daily, individually marked ewes were located telemetrically from the ground and uniquely marked animals were observed until they defecated. After the herd moved from the area, fecal samples were collected and stored at Ϫ23 C. A consistent number of samples per season per herd (xϭ16.56Ϯ3.99 samples) were collected. Fecal larval lungworm levels (LPG) in the treatment subherd were lower than levels in the control subherd; however, there was no difference in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels between the two subherds. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels varied by season in both subherds, with levels in winter lower than during the other three seasons. Lamb:ewe ratios were not different between the control and treatment subherds at the end of summer 1999. In contrast, the treatment group had a lower lamb:ewe ratio at the end of summer 2000 despite having lower LPG. However, this result was attributed to lower ewe production, not lower lamb survival. The LPG levels were not correlated with FGM concentrations; instead, FGM levels might reflect normal seasonal patterns. Other factors, including contagious ecthyma, were more important for determining lamb mortality than LPG and FGM levels during our study. We suggest further experimental work over a longer duration to address these relationships.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships Among Fecal Lungworm Loads, Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites, and Lamb Recruitment in Free-Ranging Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Millspaugh

Washburn

Brundige

et al. 2005

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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“…Examples have included water or food restriction for several weeks for small rodents in laboratory settings (Harper and Austad, 2000;Kitaysky et al, 2001a;Nelson, 1993;Nelson et al, 1989), and harsh seasons such as winter or dry season in free-ranging animals (Cavigelli, 1999;Huber et al, 2003;Lynch et al, 2002;Pereira et al, 2006;Romero et al, 1997;2000;Saltz and White, 1991;Strier et al, 1999;Wilson and Wingfield, 1994;Wingfield, 1984;review by Boonstra, 2004 andby Reeder andKramer, 2005). Because all the species studied under these conditions have been seasonal breeders, however, it has not been clear to what extent the elevated GC concentrations occur in response to the inclement weather conditions or to the inherent physiological challenges characteristic of the animals' particular life history stages, e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coping with a challenging environment: Effects of seasonal variability and reproductive status on glucocorticoid concentrations of female baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

Gesquiere

Khan

Shek

et al. 2008

Hormones and Behavior

107

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Environmental stressors impact physiology and behavior in many species of animals. These effects are partly mediated through changing concentrations of glucocorticoids, which also vary with reproductive state and social conditions. Prior research has focused largely on seasonal breeders, but the close temporal linkage between season and reproductive state in these species hinders ability to disentangle environmental effects from those of the animal's reproductive status. Here we assessed the effects of environmental challenges on the fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) levels of non-seasonal breeders, female baboons (Papio cynocephalus) of Amboseli, Kenya. Amboseli is characterized by a long dry season, during which food and water become scarce, and by extreme temperatures above 40°C in the shade during some months of the year. We found that after accounting for female reproductive status and individual variability, females exhibited higher fGC levels during the dry season than during the wet season. Further, during the wet season, fGC levels were higher in months of high average daily maximum temperatures. During the dry season, fGC levels were elevated both in hotter months and in months during which the baboons spent a relatively high proportion of time feeding. In spite of these stressors, female baboons reproduce during all months of the year in Amboseli, unlike most other mammals in this environment. This may be attributable to their extreme adaptability, specifically their diversified diet, and their ability to modify their behavior, including their activity profiles.

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“…Quantification of fecal corticosterone levels was modeled after protocols outlined by Huber et al (2003). Concentrations of fecal corticosterone were determined using a commercial RIA kit (MP Biomedicals, Solon, OH) validated for use on bovine samples in July 2012.…”

Section: Laboratory Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Blood serum collection can provide insight into acute stressors (Curley et al, 2006). Fecal sampling can be reflective of chronic stress experienced 2 to 3 d before sampling (Huber et al, 2003).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Phenotypic relationships between docility and reproduction in Angus heifers1

White

Bormann

Olson

et al. 2016

Journal of Animal Science

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Effects of season, sex, and sample collection on concentrations of fecal cortisol metabolites in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Cited by 176 publications

References 33 publications

Relationships Among Fecal Lungworm Loads, Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites, and Lamb Recruitment in Free-Ranging Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Relationships Among Fecal Lungworm Loads, Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites, and Lamb Recruitment in Free-Ranging Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Coping with a challenging environment: Effects of seasonal variability and reproductive status on glucocorticoid concentrations of female baboons (Papio cynocephalus)

Phenotypic relationships between docility and reproduction in Angus heifers1

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