Measuring restraints stress responses using active biotelemetry in cattle

This study was conducted to investigate the influences of the rope and the tipping chute restraints on body temperature (BT) and heart rate (HR) as acute response for stress caused by restraining for diagnasis and treatment in cattle. Both parameters were recorded by active biotelemetry. In addition cortisol concentration in blood was analyzed as a indicator for stress response. Twelve cattle were divided into two groups based on hydraulic power, the rope restraint group and the tipping chute restraint group. BT and HR were measured at -30 (base), 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes, including restraint period from 0 to 30 minutes during the experiment. The results obtained in this study was summarized as follows: 1. BT of the rope restraint group was increased ($39.8{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$) until 20 min after restraint stress for 30 min, and then maintained with high values to the end of experiment. In the tipping chute restraint group, the BT was increased ($39.6{\pm}0.3^{\circ}C$) until the end of the restraint period, but then showed decrese until the end of experiment. 2. HR of both groups was maximized at the beginning of the restraint stress (P<0.05), and then it was decreased gradually but in the tipping chute restraint group showed increase again at the end of the reatraint stress (P<0.05). 3. The cortisol level of the rope restraint group was increased significantly ($9.72{\pm}5.09{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) until 30 min after the end of the restraint stress (P<0.05) and then decreased, but in the tipping chute restraint group showed great increase ($4.68{\pm}1.56{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) at the end of the restraint stress (P<0.05) and then decreased while the tipping chute restraint group was significantly lower than the rope restraint group 30 min after the restraint stress (P<0.05). In conclusion, this study suggests that the tipping chute restraint produces less response to physical stress than the rope restraint but the time for diagnasis and treatment should be shortened when using the tipping chute restraint.

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