• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.597-602
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• 2001

This study was carried out to investigate the effectiveness of active biotelemetry to monitor stress response, and the effects of acute stressor (raising a hind foot of a standing animal) on body temperature (BT) and heart rate (HR) in comparison heifer group (n=4) with cow group (n=3). Both parameters were recorded by active telemetry. Cortisol assay was used to compare the result of active biotelemetry. The stressor consisted in restraining the cows for hoof treatments. Body temperature and heart rate were measured at 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 minutes during the experiments, and also cortisol assay at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 12 and 24 hours. Base line for these animals was set in there accustomed environment at -24hrs and -30 mins before the beginning of experiments. The results obtained in this study were as follows: 1. In the BT, heifer group showed no significant difference from cow group, but were observed slightly higher BT than cow group during restraint stress for 30 minutes. 2. The both groups showed directly significant increase of HR immediately after the beginning of the restraint stress (P<0.01), but in the required time for the recovery of HR after finishing the stress, heifer group was 40 minutes and cow group 60 minutes. 3. In the cortisol assay, the both groups increased from 30 to 120 minutes after the beginning of experiment (i.e, from 0 to 90 minutes after finishing the restraint stress), showing significant difference from before the beginning of the stress (P<0.01), but heifer group showed great increase of the cortisol level from 30 to 60 minutes after the beginning of the stress, while cow group was observed at 60 minutes. In conclusion, we suppose that care is required to decrease psychological stress in cattle when they suffer from a series of procedures for diagnosis and treatment, especially in heifers rather than in cows. Also BT and HR obtained by active biotelemetry are reliable indicators of stress in cattle.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.603-609
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• 2001

A transport stress is one of the main causes of economic losses and physiological dysfunction. The present study has been performed to suggest a method to decrease the adverse effects above mentioned from transport. The groups were prepared as follows; (1) Control group : 4 cattle transported for 5 hrs (274 km) without any treatment, (2) Treatment group : 4 cattle treated with electrolyte-mineral solution (I.V.) at 1 hr before the enrollment of transport under same experimental condition with Control group. The blood specimens were collected at 1 hr before transport, 2.3 hrs (135 km) and 5 hrs (274 km) after the enrollment of transport, and 1, 6 and 18 hrs after fulfillment of transport. The collected blood specimens were analyzed for cortisol and epinephrine. Core temperature and heart rate were measured with active biotelemetry in every 30 minutes from 0.5 hr before the start of transport to 18 hrs after the end of transport. In results, the level of cortisol considerably increased to the peak either in Control group ($5.3{\pm}1.3{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) and in Treatment group ($4.0{\pm}2.6{\mu}g/d{\ell}$) at 2.3 hrs in transport. The concentration of epinephrine of Treatment group had been higher than that of Control group from the start of transport to 18 hrs after the fulfillment of transport. Particularly there was the biggest gap between Control and Treatment groups, $424.0{\pm}194.1pg/m{\ell}$ and $209.1{\pm}65.1pg/m{\ell}$ respectively, at 6 hrs after the end of transport. The heart rates were considerably increased either in Control group ($81.5{\pm}18.5$ to $126.3{\pm}7.8beats/min$) and in Treatment group ($114.3{\pm}14.4$ to $140.8{\pm}22.4beats/min$) with the enrollment of transport. These results indicate that the concentration of cortisol and the heart rate were pertinent to cognitive parameters to evaluate physiological responses against stress such as transport. In addition, the intravenous administration of electrolyte-mineral solution could be suggested as the method to decrease the adverse effects from a transport stress.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.277-282
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• 2002

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.