Behavioral and physiological changes in early-weaned multiparous and primiparous beef cows

Ungerfeld, Rodolfo; Hötzel, María José; Scarsi, A.; Quintans, G.

doi:10.1017/s1751731111000334

Cited by 44 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(25 reference statements)

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“…To the best of our knowledge, this is the first complete characterization of the behavioural response of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs. The general response is in agreement with that previously described in ewes (Napolitano et al, 2008) and cows (Weary and Chua, 2000;Flower and Weary 2001;Ungerfeld et al, 2011). In summary, rapid and marked responses were observed on the day of weaning of the lambs, followed by a quick return to the original frequencies.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…In addition, weaning of the lambs provokes physiological changes in ewes, including an increase in cortisol concentration (Pérez-Leó n et al, 2006). Although to the best of our knowledge there is no information on sheep, in cows the albumin serum concentration decreases and total serum protein increases during the first few days after weaning of calves (Ungerfeld et al, 2011). In this sense, it has been reported in lambs that repeated restraint and isolation generate a decrease in serum total protein concentration (Apple et al, 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Progesterone administration reduces the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs

Freitas‐de‐Melo

Banchero

Hötzel

et al. 2013

Animal

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Abrupt weaning, a usual management in sheep productive systems, may provoke behavioural and physiological responses indicative of stress in ewes and lambs. Progesterone (P4) has anxiolytic and sedative effects through the union of its metabolites that contain 3a-hydroxyl group to the g-aminobutyricacid A receptor. Our first aim was to determine whether P4 administration reduces the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs. A complementary aim was to determine whether P4 treatment affects the milk yield and composition of ewes, and the BW of their lambs. In experiment 1, seven ewes received P4 treatment for 32 days (group E1-P4), and eight ewes remained as an untreated control group (group E1-C). BW of the lambs was recorded during P4 treatment. Lambs were weaned at 59 days (Day 0 5 weaning). The main behaviours of the ewes before and after weaning were recorded using 10 min scan sampling. The ewes' serum total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations were measured before and after weaning of the lambs. In experiment 2, milk yield and composition were determined in two different groups of six ewes treated with P4 (group E2-P4) for 16 days and in five untreated controls (group E2-C). The BW of lambs increased with time ( P 5 0.001) in both groups and did not differ. The percentage of observations in which the ewes were seen pacing on Day 0 was greater in the E1-C group than in the E1-P4 group ( P 5 0.0007). Similarly, the percentage of observations in which the ewes were recorded vocalizing on Day 0 was greater in the E1-C group than in the E1-P4 group ( P 5 0.04). The percentage of observations in which E1-C ewes were recorded lying did not change from Days 0 to 1; however, it increased in E1-P4 ewes. Total serum protein concentration did not change in E1-P4 ewes from Days 0 to 3, although a decrease was seen in E1-C ewes ( P 5 0.04). Serum globulin concentration was greater in E1-P4 ewes on Day 3 than in E1-C ewes (P 5 0.0008). In experiment 2, there were no differences between E2-P4 and E2-C ewes in terms of milk yield, protein, fat and lactose content. Progesterone administration reduced the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs, and this effect was not mediated by changes in milk yield and composition, or by lambs' BW.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progesterone administration reduces the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs

Freitas‐de‐Melo

Banchero

Hötzel

et al. 2013

Animal

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“…In each scan the following cow behaviours were recorded for each cow: standing, walking, lying, grazing, nursing and pacing. Vocalizations were recorded as in previous studies (Enríquez et al 2010;Ungerfeld et al, 2011), for a 30 s period every 10 min, using zero/one sampling (Lehner, 1996). At the end of each 30-s period each cow was assigned either a 1 (if it had vocalized) or a 0 (if it had not vocalized).…”

Section: Behaviour Recordingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Minimizing cows’ stress when calves were early weaned using the two-step method with nose flaps

Ungerfeld¹,

Quintans

Hötzel

2016

Animal

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Early weaning may be used in beef cattle production to improve reproduction rates in range conditions. However, weaning causes a stress response in cows, which may be especially strong in early weaning management, as the bond between the cow and the calf is still strong. We hypothesized that weaning calves in two steps, with the aid of anti-sucking devices (nose flaps) would reduce the behavioural stress response in the cows separated from their calves 2 months after parturition. We compared the behaviour frequency and weight change in cows that were weaned abruptly, by separation of the calf on day 0 of the study, or in two steps, consisting of the use of anti-sucking nose flaps for 5 days before permanent separation; a third group was not weaned to serve as control. Thirty-six crossbred multiparous Aberdeen Angus × Hereford cows and their calves (n = 12/treatment) were managed in three paddocks with similar pasture availability, with four dyads from each treatment per paddock. Cows' behaviour was observed by direct visual instantaneous sampling, at 10 min intervals from days −3 to 11. Weaning the calves in two steps clearly attenuated the behavioural stress response observed in abruptly weaned cows, which included reductions in grazing and lying, and increases in pacing, walking and vocalizing. Our results corroborate those previously shown for cows nursing older calves, and indicate that step weaning can reduce the behavioural stress response of cows at weaning, even when the calf is weaned shortly after birth, when the bond between the cow and calf is still very strong.

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“…Although meat ruminant extensive systems can increase the reproductive and productive performance of the head, abrupt weaning is a source of stress for the animals (Lynch et al, 2010;Ungerfeld et al, 2011;Enríquez et al, 2010). Generally, weaning causes a wide range of physiological and behavioural responses (Hickey et al, 2003;Loberg et al, 2008;Carroll et al, 2009).…”

Section: The Antioxidant Capacity In Tissuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Protein and/or Energy Restriction for Six Weeks, Followed with Nutritional Recovery on the Antioxidant Capacity and Development of Liver, Spleen and Muscle of Weaned Kids

Yang¹,

Sun²,

He³

et al. 2012

JAS

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The effects of protein and/or energy restrictions on the antioxidant capacity and development of liver, spleen and muscle were investigated in kids. Sixty Liuyang Black kids, weaned at 28-day old, were allocated to four treatments: control, either energy or protein restriction, and combined energy and protein restriction. The experimental period consisted of six weeks of nutritional restriction followed with nine weeks of nutritional recovery. On day 42, energy restriction decreased the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in spleen, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) mRNA level in muscle and spleen, and the ratio of RNA to DNA in liver (P < 0.05); protein restriction decreased the activity of glutathione reductase (GR) in muscle and liver, the ratio of RNA to DNA in liver, and the N concentration and the ratio of N to DNA in spleen and muscle (P < 0.05); combined restriction of energy and protein decreased the activities of catalase and GR and the ratio of RNA to DNA in muscle, and the activities of SOD, GSH-Px and GR in spleen (P < 0.05). On day 105, there was no difference in the antioxidant parameters among four groups (P > 0.05); however, the weights of liver and spleen in groups of pre-protein restriction and pre-combined restriction of energy and protein were still less than those of kids in control. The results indicate that six weeks of nutritional restriction can reduce the antioxidant capacity of muscle, spleen and liver, retard the development of liver and spleen, and the retarded development partly continues even after nine weeks of nutritional recovery.

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Behavioral and physiological changes in early-weaned multiparous and primiparous beef cows

Cited by 44 publications

References 23 publications

Progesterone administration reduces the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs

Progesterone administration reduces the behavioural and physiological responses of ewes to abrupt weaning of lambs

Minimizing cows’ stress when calves were early weaned using the two-step method with nose flaps

Effects of Protein and/or Energy Restriction for Six Weeks, Followed with Nutritional Recovery on the Antioxidant Capacity and Development of Liver, Spleen and Muscle of Weaned Kids

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