The use of electrolyte solutions for reducing transport stress.

Abstract

The transport and handling procedures imposed on beef cattle during the normal course of marketing can be a significant stressor. Factors including time off feed, water deprivation, mixing and the resulting behavioral problems, transport movement, unfamiliar noise, inclement weather, and so forth are often present and collectively result in live weight and carcass losses as well as degraded meat quality. In addition, a growing public concern regarding animal welfare in such situations is evident. Understanding how cattle adapt to and are influenced by these factors is a necessary first step in being able to reduce these stresses and a major research effort globally has been directed toward this end. Studies at the Lacombe Research Center have focused on understanding the role of electrolytes in attenuating transport and handling stress. Apparent in this research has been the consistent observation that transport and handling reduce blood pH, glucose concentration, and interstitial water space (P < .05), and increases in serum chloride. hemoglobin, urine sodium, and urine osmolality (P < .05) are evident. These changes are also accompanied by significant increases in the neutrophile/lymphocyte ratio. The application of oral electrolyte therapy, especially if similar in constituents to interstitial fluid, seems to attenuate these physiological changes. Resulting improvements in both live and carcass weights (less shrink) of up to several percent in treated animals as well as a reduction in meat quality degradation (reduced dark cutting) is evident in such trials. These studies suggest that the use of electrolyte therapy may be an effective means of reducing stress in transported cattle.

Qualitative behavioural assessment and quantitative physiological measurement of cattle naïve and habituated to road transport

“…These physiological responses were similar to those recorded in cattle in response to transport in previous studies (Murata andHirose 1990, 1991;Tarrant et al 1992;Schaefer et al 1997;Jacobson and Cook 1998;Knowles 1999). Furthermore, similar results were found in habituation studies on cattle, where repeated transport resulted in decreased cortisol levels (Locatelli et al 1989) and heart rate (Jacobson and Cook 1998).…”

The effect of dietary supplementation with β-1,3/1,6-D-glucan on stress parameters and meat quality in lambs

“…Stressors increase the percentage of neutrophils and decrease the percentage of lymphocytes in the leukogram, which leads to changes in the N : L ratio (Schaefer et al, 1997). For this reason, the N : L ratio is regarded as an important indicator of stress response in animals (Miranda-de la Lama et al, 2010;Ekiz et al, 2012a,b).…”

Factors affecting beef palatability &mdash; farmgate to chilled carcass

“…The use of pre-slaughter supplements, largely consisting of mixtures of sugars and electrolytes, has also been investigated for their attenuating effects on transport stress (see review by Schaefer et al 1997). Commercial feed supplements or soluble preparations are now available and these can be can be provided either on farm immediately before transport or while in lairage.…”

“…Commercial feed supplements or soluble preparations are now available and these can be can be provided either on farm immediately before transport or while in lairage. Schaefer et al (1997) reported that the administration of these supplements to cattle resulted in reduced losses in live and carcass weights and reduced incidence of dark cutting. The results of Australian research, while encouraging, have been relatively inconclusive .…”