Stress-induced Changes in Plasma Concentrations of Immunoreactive ß-Endorphin and Cortisol in Response to Routine Surgical Procedures in Lambs

Shutt, D. A.; Fell, L. R.; Connell, R; Bell, AK; Ca, Wallace; Smith, A. Ian

doi:10.1071/bi9870097

Cited by 71 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Our sheep were kept in the paddock and were tested weekly rather than daily, so that the learned behaviour may not have been as marked as in the sheep tested daily. 24,25 Cortisol levels in plasma vary 25 and in some sheep may reach levels sucient to suppress the immune response. 2 They administered naloxone, an opioid antagonist, to sheep to test the hypothesis that endogenous opioids were involved in the behaviour of immunologically challenged and unchallenged animals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The eosinophil leucocyte, a phenotypic marker of resistance to nematode parasites, is associated with calm behaviour in sheep

Hohenhaus

Josey

Dobson³

et al. 1998

Immunol Cell Biol

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The hypothesis that behaviour in sheep is influenced by resistance to infections with Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Haemonchus contortus was explored. Sheep were assessed phenotypically as resistant and susceptible in four ways and thereafter, the effect of resistance on several behavioural traits was measured in an arena test. The behavioural parameters recorded for each sheep were: approach/avoidance distance; travel; number of moves; and spread. Four phenotypic groups of sheep were set up each with two subgroups: ovine lymphocyte antigen (OLA) type (subgroups SY1a type vs other types); blood eosinophil leucocyte counts (high vs low); T. colubriformis and H. contortus serum antibodies (high vs low titres) and faecal egg count (FEC) (high vs low). Only the behavioural comparison between sheep with high versus low eosinophil leucocyte count showed consistent differences that were statistically significant, although other comparisons favoured associations between OLA type SY1a, low FEC and reduced approach/avoidance distance and/or locomotor behaviour. The eosinophil leucocyte association was established on two non-overlapping test populations of sheep, with mean eosinophil leucocyte counts of 3.19 x 10(5)/mL blood for high and 0.83 x 10(5)/mL blood for low subgroups; results were reproduced on five separate occasions over 6 weeks to detect differences as approach/avoidance distance (P < 0.01), travel (P < 0.01), number of moves (P < 0.01), and spread (P < 0.05). High eosinophilia correlated with low FEC for the infected sheep, which identified sheep that were resistant to parasites. We concluded, therefore, that the resistant sheep were more at ease with the environment of the test than were the sheep with low eosinophil leucocyte counts. The strong association between high eosinophil leucocyte counts and behaviour is consistent with other reports which suggest that retention of normal levels of circulating eosinophil leucocytes is associated with resistance to stress.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The eosinophil leucocyte, a phenotypic marker of resistance to nematode parasites, is associated with calm behaviour in sheep

Hohenhaus

Josey

Dobson³

et al. 1998

Immunol Cell Biol

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“…PETA threatened the Australian wool industry and major international clothing retailers, such as Abercrombie and Fitch (Munro 2008), with an international boycott of Australian wool if farmers continued to mules their sheep (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 2005b). PETA supported their assertion that mulesing causes unnecessary animal suffering (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 2004) with a substantial body of scientific research and literature identifying physical (Chapman et al 1994;Fell and Shutt 1988;MAF 1996;Shutt et al 1987), behavioural (Chapman et al 1994;Fell and Shutt 1989), and psychological (Chapman et al 1994;Fell and Shutt 1989) indicators of stress from mulesing and pathology caused by mulesing (Cook and Steiner 1990;Gherardi 2002;Harrington andSteiner 1993: Horton andChampion 2001;Karlsson et al 2001;MAF 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 71%

Mulesing and Animal Ethics

Sneddon

Rollin

2009

J Agric Environ Ethics

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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for a ban on mulesing in the Australian sheep industry in 2004. Mulesing is a surgical procedure that removes wool-bearing skin from the tail and breech area of sheep in order to prevent flystrike (cutaneous myiasis). Flystrike occurs when flies lay their eggs in soiled areas of wool on the sheep and can be fatal for the sheep host. PETA claimed that mulesing subjects sheep to unnecessary pain and suffering and took action against the Australian wool industry that resulted in a number of international clothing retailers choosing not to use Australian wool. Although the Australian sheep industry agreed to phase out mulesing in 2010, there is some uncertainty as to whether this deadline will be achieved. The changing social ethic towards animal welfare suggests that the way the Australian sheep industry manages the phase out of mulesing in 2010 is vital to its future survival and success. It is likely that if mulesing does not cease in 2010 there will be a negative market reaction to Australian wool and the risk of legislation to ban mulesing. To avoid losing control of its animal welfare strategy, the Australian sheep industry should ensure that mulesing is phased out in 2010 and endorse the animal welfare ethic underpinning this change. The industry should also educate farmers and other industry stakeholders in how the changing social ethic for animal welfare can create new market opportunities for wool.

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“…Blood samples in this case were obtained from jugular catheters. Eight-to ten-fold increases in plasma p-endorphin have been found after castration or mulesing and tail docking without anaesthetic and smaller increases of up to three-fold after the less stressful procedure of tail docking alone (Shutt, Fell, Connell, Bell, Wallace and Smith, 1987).…”

Section: Plasmamentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma β-endorphin and cortisol concentrations in lambs after handling, transport and slaughter

et al. 1989

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The effects of the routine stressful stimuli of handling, transport and slaughter on the plasma concentrations of cortisol and (3-endorphin have been studied in lambs. Blood samples were obtained from group 1 lambs after rounding up, after transport and at slaughter. Group 2 lambs were treated similarly except that blood was collected only at slaughter. Group 3 lambs served as controls and were blood sampled twice daily for 5 days to accustom them to handling before being slaughtered. Plasma cortisol and P-endorphin concentrations were increased above control levels by rounding up and transport, and were further increased at slaughter. Group 3 lambs, however, had very much lower P-endorphin levels at slaughter than the other two groups, although their cortisol levels were similar, fi-endorphin concentrations declined during the 5-day blood sampling period in group 3 animals but cortisol levels were unchanged. The results suggest that although levels of both hormones are increased by stress, they are not necessarily released concomitantly.

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Stress-induced Changes in Plasma Concentrations of Immunoreactive ß-Endorphin and Cortisol in Response to Routine Surgical Procedures in Lambs

Cited by 71 publications

References 24 publications

The eosinophil leucocyte, a phenotypic marker of resistance to nematode parasites, is associated with calm behaviour in sheep

The eosinophil leucocyte, a phenotypic marker of resistance to nematode parasites, is associated with calm behaviour in sheep

Mulesing and Animal Ethics

Plasma β-endorphin and cortisol concentrations in lambs after handling, transport and slaughter

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