-PAPERS & ARTICLES-8 Effect on young calves of a one-hour feeding stop during a 19-hour road journey T. G. KNOWLES, S. N. BROWN, J. E. EDWARDS, A. J. PHILLIPS, P. D. WARRISS This study examined the effects of transporting calves less than four weeks of age on a journey at the limit of the maximum time laid down by recent EU legislation. In both summer and winter, 45 calves were transported by road for 19 hours. The journey included a one-hour break on the lorry in which the calves were given either a glucose/electrolyte solution, water, or nothing at all. Control groups of 15 calves remained on farm and were fed normally. The effects of the journey were greater during winter when liveweight loss was greater and more prolonged, and the calves suffered a depression in body temperature. Mid-journey feeding was of minimal benefit. Feeding electrolytes reduced the extent of dehydration as measured by changes in plasma total protein and albumin concentrations, but there was some indication that giving water alone was detrimental. Most of the variables which changed during the journey had recovered in line with the values in the control animals within 24 hours of the end of the journey, but the calves' liveweight and plasma creatine kinase activity took up to seven days to stabilise. The study highlighted the problem that young calves have in maintaining body temperature during transport, especially during colder weather. Veterinary Record (1999) 144, 687-692 T. G. Knowles, BSc, MSc, PhD, S. N. Brown, MIBiol, J. E. Edwards, MRIPHH, A. J. Phillips, P. D. Warriss, BSc, PhD, MIBiol, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU CALVES less than four weeks of age do not cope well with transport and marketing. Transport leads to increased mor- tality (Leech and others 1968) and the mortality rate is inversely related to the calves' age (Knowles 1995). It has been recommended that calves should be at least four weeks of age before they are marketed. However, at present calves may be marketed legally once they are more than seven days old. Previous work has investigated the effects on young calves of journeys of up to 24 hours by road and the effects of feed- ing them during the journey (Knowles and others 1997). In that study a 24-hour journey was chosen because that was the maximum period allowed in draft EU legislation. However, the final legislation, as embodied in the UK by the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997, allows a maximum journey time of 19 hours which must include a one-hour break for food and rest after nine hours. The previous study was mainly concerned with the direct effects of the journey and did not look in detail at the recovery period after the journey. The study described here investigated the effects of a 19-hour journey, which included a one-hour break on the lorry in which the calves were given either a glucose/electrolyte solu- tion, water or nothing at all, and their recovery after the jour- ney. A control group of calves remained on farm and were fed normally. MATERIALS AND METHODS In summer and in winter, 60 calves, approximately one to two weeks of age, of both sexes and mixed breeds, were obtained from local auction markets and kept in groups of five in strawed pens within a covered barn, at a stocking density of 1 m2 per animal. They were fed two litres of warm milk replacer (Instant Olympian; Volac) twice a day at approximately 08.00 and 16.00, with water, hay and con- centrate (Earlycare Calf Starter Pellets; BOCM Pauls) freely available. The calves were allowed at least one week in which to rest and recover before the start of the experiment. The groups of calves were allocated randomly to one of four treatments: a control group (C), which remained in their home pens and were fed normally, and three groups which were transported by road for 19 hours at a stocking den- sity of approximately 141 kg/m2. The 19-hour journey included a one-hour rest stop on the lorry after nine hours, during which one group was offered neither food nor water (U), one group was given one litre of cold water per calf (W) and the third group was fed two litres of warm glu- cose/electrolyte solution (Lectade; Beecham Animal Health) per calf (E). The fluids were supplied through a familiar rack nipple drinker and the calves consumed all that was offered. The fed calves were screened from those that were not fed so that these calves were less aware that others were being fed. All the calves were less than four weeks of age when transported and they were bedded on straw during the journey. At 07.00 on the day of the journey the calves were blood sampled, weighed and their rectal temperature was taken, before they were fed. The journey started at 12.00 and finished at 07.00 the next day, the one-hour break taking place at 21.00. All the calves were weighed and blood sampled immediately after the journey and again after four, eight, 16, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours, and one, two and three weeks. Heparinised blood samples (10 ml) were taken by jugular venepuncture and kept on ice until processed. Packed cell volume (Pcv) was mea- sured by a microhaematocrit method. The samples were cen- trifuged and the plasma frozen in liquid nitrogen for the analysis of cortisol, glucose, creatine kinase (CK), albumin, total protein, osmolality, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and urea, using the methods described by Knowles and others (1993). Plasma gamma globulin was determined on a Technicon RA-XT by the zinc sulphate precipitation method, but only in the blood samples taken before the journey. The behaviour of 10 calves from each of the four treatment groups was video recorded in the farm pens for 24 hours before and 48 hours after the journey and the behaviour of the entire U group was video recorded during the journey. The time spent lying down and standing up within each group was estimated from scans taken from the videotape at 30-minute intervals. The temperature and relative humidity outside and inside the lorry trailer (measured above the heads of the U group during the journey) were recorded with TinyTalk data loggers (Orion Components). The first journey was made in August and September 1995 and the second in January 1996. All the calves were inspected daily and at four-hour intervals during the journey by an independent veterinary surgeon. Statistical analysis Analysis of covariance was used to test for differences between the mean measurements taken immediately after the journey The Veterinary Record, June 19, 1999 687 group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.com Downloaded from
Transcript
-PAPERS & ARTICLES-8
Effect on young calves of a one-hour feedingstop during a 19-hour road journey
T. G. KNOWLES, S. N. BROWN, J. E. EDWARDS, A. J. PHILLIPS, P. D. WARRISS
This study examined the effects of transporting calves less than four weeks of age on a journey at the limitof the maximum time laid down by recent EU legislation. In both summer and winter, 45 calves weretransported by road for 19 hours. The journey included a one-hour break on the lorry in which the calveswere given either a glucose/electrolyte solution, water, or nothing at all. Control groups of 15 calvesremained on farm and were fed normally. The effects of the journey were greater during winter whenliveweight loss was greater and more prolonged, and the calves suffered a depression in body temperature.Mid-journey feeding was of minimal benefit. Feeding electrolytes reduced the extent of dehydration as
measured by changes in plasma total protein and albumin concentrations, but there was some indicationthat giving water alone was detrimental. Most of the variables which changed during the journey hadrecovered in line with the values in the control animals within 24 hours of the end of the journey, but thecalves' liveweight and plasma creatine kinase activity took up to seven days to stabilise. The studyhighlighted the problem that young calves have in maintaining body temperature during transport,especially during colder weather.
Veterinary Record (1999)144, 687-692
T. G. Knowles, BSc, MSc,PhD,S. N. Brown, MIBiol,J. E. Edwards, MRIPHH,A. J. Phillips,P. D. Warriss, BSc, PhD,MIBiol, School ofVeterinary Science,University of Bristol,Langford, BristolBS40 5DU
CALVES less than four weeks of age do not cope well withtransport and marketing. Transport leads to increased mor-tality (Leech and others 1968) and the mortality rate isinversely related to the calves' age (Knowles 1995). It hasbeen recommended that calves should be at least four weeksof age before they are marketed. However, at present calvesmay be marketed legally once they are more than seven daysold.
Previous work has investigated the effects on young calvesofjourneys of up to 24 hours by road and the effects of feed-ing them during the journey (Knowles and others 1997). Inthat study a 24-hour journey was chosen because that was themaximum period allowed in draft EU legislation. However, thefinal legislation, as embodied in the UK by the Welfare ofAnimals (Transport) Order 1997, allows a maximum journeytime of 19 hours which must include a one-hour break forfood and rest after nine hours. The previous study was mainlyconcerned with the direct effects of the journey and did notlook in detail at the recovery period after the journey. Thestudy described here investigated the effects of a 19-hourjourney, which included a one-hour break on the lorry inwhich the calves were given either a glucose/electrolyte solu-tion, water or nothing at all, and their recovery after the jour-ney. A control group of calves remained on farm and were fednormally.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In summer and in winter, 60 calves, approximately one totwo weeks of age, of both sexes and mixed breeds, wereobtained from local auction markets and kept in groups offive in strawed pens within a covered barn, at a stockingdensity of 1 m2 per animal. They were fed two litres ofwarm milk replacer (Instant Olympian; Volac) twice a dayat approximately 08.00 and 16.00, with water, hay and con-centrate (Earlycare Calf Starter Pellets; BOCM Pauls) freelyavailable. The calves were allowed at least one week in whichto rest and recover before the start of the experiment. Thegroups of calves were allocated randomly to one of fourtreatments: a control group (C), which remained in theirhome pens and were fed normally, and three groups whichwere transported by road for 19 hours at a stocking den-sity of approximately 141 kg/m2. The 19-hour journeyincluded a one-hour rest stop on the lorry after nine hours,during which one group was offered neither food nor water
(U), one group was given one litre of cold water per calf(W) and the third group was fed two litres of warm glu-cose/electrolyte solution (Lectade; Beecham AnimalHealth) per calf (E). The fluids were supplied through afamiliar rack nipple drinker and the calves consumed allthat was offered. The fed calves were screened from thosethat were not fed so that these calves were less aware thatothers were being fed. All the calves were less than fourweeks of age when transported and they were bedded onstraw during the journey.
At 07.00 on the day of the journey the calves were bloodsampled, weighed and their rectal temperature was taken,before they were fed. The journey started at 12.00 and finishedat 07.00 the next day, the one-hour break taking place at 21.00.All the calves were weighed and blood sampled immediatelyafter the journey and again after four, eight, 16, 24, 36, 48 and72 hours, and one, two and three weeks. Heparinised bloodsamples (10 ml) were taken by jugular venepuncture and kepton ice until processed. Packed cell volume (Pcv) was mea-sured by a microhaematocrit method. The samples were cen-trifuged and the plasma frozen in liquid nitrogen for theanalysis of cortisol, glucose, creatine kinase (CK), albumin,total protein, osmolality, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA),beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and urea, using the methodsdescribed by Knowles and others (1993). Plasma gammaglobulin was determined on a Technicon RA-XT by the zincsulphate precipitation method, but only in the blood samplestaken before the journey.
The behaviour of 10 calves from each ofthe four treatmentgroups was video recorded in the farm pens for 24 hoursbefore and 48 hours after the journey and the behaviour ofthe entire U group was video recorded during the journey.The time spent lying down and standing up within eachgroup was estimated from scans taken from the videotape at30-minute intervals. The temperature and relative humidityoutside and inside the lorry trailer (measured above the headsof the U group during the journey) were recorded withTinyTalk data loggers (Orion Components).
The first journey was made in August and September 1995and the second in January 1996. All the calves were inspecteddaily and at four-hour intervals during the journey by anindependent veterinary surgeon.
Statistical analysisAnalysis of covariance was used to test for differences betweenthe mean measurements taken immediately after the journey
The Veterinary Record, June 19, 1999 687
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
from the four groups, the pretransport values being used asthe covariates. Tukey's test was used to test for differencesbetween pairs of means. The pretransport measurementswere also used as the covariates in a repeated measures analy-sis of covariance of all the measurements taken after the jour-ney. The statistical analysis used Systat 5.2.1 (Systat) on aMacintosh Quadra 650. In both types of analysis of covari-ance the pretransport gamma globulin values were tested asa second covariate but in no case were they found to be sig-nificantly correlated and so gamma globulin was omittedfrom all the analyses. The natural logs of the plasma CK activ-ities were used in the statistical analyses to normalise the dis-tribution of these data.
RESULTS
Ambient temperatureThe difference between the temperatures inside and outsidethe lorry in both summer and winter was less than 0-5°C,except when the lorry was stationary when the temperatureinside rose by approximately 1-5°C above the temperatureoutside. Within the accuracy of the data loggers there was nodifference between the relative humidity inside and outsidethe lorry. The ambient temperatures and relative humiditieswithin the lorries during the 19-hour journeys in summerand winter are shown in Figs la and b. The average internaltemperature was 15-0°C in summer and 2-3°C in winter, andthe average internal relative humidity was 84-5 per cent insummer and 95-8 per cent in winter.
Behaviour and heart rateThe number of calves in the U group which were standing upduring the journey are shown in Fig 2. The estimated per-centages of the time spent standing during the 19-hour jour-ney and in the comparable periods before and after thejourney are given in Table 1. The figures are broken down toshow the average percentages for the first 10 hours and for thefollowing nine hours. Overall, the calves stood for longer inthe winter than in the summer. During the journey the num-ber of calves standing up progressively declined, with amarked increase in the number lying down after 10 hours.Overall, the calves stood approximately twice as much duringthe journey as when they were in the farm pens before beingtransported. However, Table 1 shows that the calves spentmore time lying down between 22.00 and 07.00 before, dur-ing and after the journey, but that during it they were stand-ing up more between 12.00 and 22.00 and lying down morebetween 22.00 and 07.00. In the period from 22.00 to 07.00after the journey the calves did not rest as well as during thecomparable period at the farm.
(a) 21
C 180
2! 15-O'.-
&12E0
9.
C-o 6-
(b)
Summer------- winter
3t- /" '- {i;- -A> -
O~~~~~LA,I
901-
t85-
E 80-0> 75-
4)
70-65
600 3 6 9 12 15 18 0 3 6 9 12 15 18
Tlme (hr) Time (hr)FIG 1: (a) Ambient temperature and (b) relative humidity measured inside the lorriesduring 19 hours of transport in summer and in winter
Number of19-hour period Summer Winter animals
Before transport(12.00-22.00) 25-4 35-6 40(22.00-07.00) 13-2 15.4
During transport(12.00-22.00) 64-1 90.4 15(22.00-07.00) 14.1 25-2
Liveweight, body temperature and bloodcompositionImmediate effects of treatments The pretransport mean(se) values of these variables are shown in Table 2. There wasno effect of season or of treatment on the levels ofplasma glu-cose, osmolality, urea or PCV measured immediately after thejourney, when the overall mean values ofthese variables were4-19 (0-063) mmol/litre, mosmol 284-6 (0-82), 4-54 (0-17)mmol/litre and 38-8 (0-52) per cent respectively. Overall, thepost-transport levels of plasma albumin were lower in sum-mer than in winter, 37-2 and 40-7 (0-37) g/litre respectively(P>0-001). The activities of plasma CK were higher in sum-mer than in winter, 249 and 216 (10) U/litre respectively(P<0-05).
The mean values of the variables which differed betweenthe treatments immediately after the journeys are shown inTable 3 and the mean values of those which differed withboth season and treatment are shown in Table 4. The con-
Variable Mean (se)
Albumin (g/litre) -39.0 (0.34)BHB (mmol/Aitre) 0-136 (0.0055)CK (U/litre) 453-5 (24.8)Glucose (mmol/litre) 4-24 (0.049)NEFA (pmol/litre) 382-6 (13.2)Osmolality (mosmol/litre) 283-4 (080)PoJ (%) 39.7 (0354)Temperature (t) 38-6 (0.05)Total protein (g/litre) 60.4 (048)Urea (mmol/litre) 4-23 (0.11)Weight (kg 57.7 (0-70)ZST (OD unit) 42-7 (037)BHB Beta-hydroxybutyrate, CK Creatine kinase, NEFA Non-esterifiedfatty acids, ZST Zinc sulphate turbidity, OD Optical density
Control EetoyeUnfed. WaterVariable (n=30) (n=30) (n'-30) (n=30) sem P
Means which were significantly different within a row are shownwith different subscriptsBHB Beta-hydroxbutyrate, CK Creatine kinase, NEFA Noesterfiedfatty acids* P<0.05, ** P<0-01,** P<0.001
The Veterinary Record, June 19, 1999
6 9 12 15 18
Time (hr)
FIG 2: Numbers ofcalves out of the 15 inthe unfed groupstanding up during the19 hours of transport.Time zero was 12.00,the start of the journey.The figure is based onscans taken at 30minute intervals
c4c
688
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
PrePost 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336'504Sample time (hr) Sample time (hr)
FIG 3: Changes in liveweight in the four treatment groups in (a) winter and (b) summer.The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of all measurements taken at thattime
(b) 40-0-
395,-
0. 38-5-E0
6
37.5-
PrePost 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
I! ,
ConrtolV *.-.--- ~~~~~~~Electrolyte
UnfedWaer,
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)FIG 4: Changes in rectal temperature in the four treatment groups in (a) winter and (b)summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of all measurements takenat that time
centrations of plasma albumin and cortisol tended to belower in both the C and E groups, and the levels of BHB, CKand NEFA were lowest in the C group. There was a trendtowards higher levels Of NEFA in the U group. After beingtransported the liveweights of the U,W and E groups werelower than those of the C group. In the summer, the E grouphad a lower rectal temperature and in the winter theW grouphad a lower rectal temperature, and there was a trend for theE group to have a lower temperature. In the summer, the lev-els of total protein in the E group were lower than those intheW group.
During recovery The results from the repeated measuresanalysis of covariance of the variables measured after thejourney are shown in Table 5. The between-subjects
Total prOotin (g/1itreSuimmer 6IW 7-" 600 658
with d0iffrn ubcit
columns are a test of overall differences between the groupsduring the recovery period and the within-subjects columnsare tests of differences over time between the groups. Theseresults are best viewed in conjunction with Fig 3 to 13, inwhich the horizontal time scale is not linear. Thepretransport mean values in all these Figures are the meansof all 120 calves and the subsequent points are the covariate-adjusted means. The error bars on the means show the semof all the points on a graph at a particular time but have onlybeen included once to avoid cluttering the graphs.
* Liveweight, and rectal temperature. The changes' in weightin the four treatment groups in each season are shown in Fig3. All the transported groups showed a marked decrease inbodyweight that was not recorded in the control animals. Thedecrease in bodyweight was greatest in the groups transportedin winter. An analysis of the transported groups alone showeda mean loss due to transport of 2.0 kg in winter and 1-4 kgin summer (P=0.048). Pretransport bodyweight was regainedby all the transported groups within eight hours in the sum-mer and within 16 hours in the winter, but the mean weightsof the transported groups remained below that of their con-trol group for 48 hours after the journey in summer and for72 hours in winter. There was a trend for the calves givenwater to lose most bodyweight. Fig 4 shows the changes in rec-tal temperature within the groups in summer and winter.There was a decrease in temperature in all the groups duringthe journeys, including the control groups. However, thedecrease in temperature in the control groups was small incomparison with the decreases observed in all the transportedgroups in winter and in the E group in summer. In summer,after the journeys, the rectal temperature of all the groups hadrisen to pretransport values within four hours, but in winterthe temperature of the transported groups did not reach pre-transport values until after eight to 16 hours. There was a sim-
Between subjectSeason x
Treatmnent treatenTimex Time Tfimextireatment
lime season treatment x seAsonvariable F P F P F P F P F P F P F P
Liveweight 0-9 MS 3. * 15 MS 048 MS 77 2.5 ** 3Temperature 38-2 0.5 NS 1.8 MS 1.1 MS 6. ' 1.7 * 1.4 NSPCV 0-2 NS 0.4 NS 0-1 NS 2.8 8 2.5 N*. S F12 MSCortisol 0-4 MS 0.8 NS 0.6 NS 2.78 3.3 ~0-8 NS 1-1 MSGlucose 0-1 NS 2-4 N 0.1 NS 2.9 *8 21.1 3.8 ' 1.4 MSCK 0.9 NS 1-7 NS 2-3 NS 0-9 NS 6-3 m1.7 * 1.4 MSBHB 177 ** 7.3 ** 0-9 NS 3.3*8 13.7 ~2-3 1.8 *NEFA 8-6 *8 45 *8 0.3 NS 7.58* 8.8 ~646 1.9 8Urea 1-4 MS 1.4 NS 0.5 MS 4-4~' 4.6 ~3.0 1-5 MSTotal protein 0.1 MS 1-9 MS 0-8 MS 2-0 * 6-4 2.4 114 MSAlbumin 100 3-1 2.3 MS 3-2 88 6.5 2.3 ~ 1-2 MSOsmol-ality 29.3 0.8 MS 0-9 MS 0-6 MS 1-3 MS 0-6 MS 0- NS
*P<0.05,8** P<0.01,' P<0.001, CK Creatine kinaSe, OHS Beta-hydroybtyae,ME Non-esterified fatty adds, Ms Not significant
The Veterinary Record, June 19, 199968
60-~
(b) 80-1
70-d
60-]
50Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
.Season
r,n
Mra'.14"WEIr"Mm I-sitta lr4li&ll%d IIDMI
L.
'47.A I37-0
689
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
ilar pattern of peaks and troughs in the rectal temperatures insummer and winter as a result of diurnal variations.
* PCV, cortisol, glucose and CK. There was a decrease in PCVin all the groups throughout the study but there was a littlemore variation in the PCV of the calves in winter (Fig 5). Fig6 shows that there was a decrease in plasma cortisol concen-tration in the first eight hours of the recovery period. The lev-els of plasma cortisol were generally more variable in thecalves in the winter. The pattern of change in plasma glucoselevels (Fig 7) was predominantly due to diurnal variationsassociated with feeding, with peaks occurring after four and36 hours of recovery, (four hours after feeding), and to asmaller extent after 16 hours, (eight hours after feeding). Inthe 24 hours after the journeys, plasma glucose levels werehigher in the untransported control animals in both summerand winter. The pretransport activities of plasma CK wereunusually high but decreased during the journey (Fig 8). Thedecrease was smaller in the E group in summer. There was aslight increase in CK in most groups during the first four hoursafter the journey, but thereafter there was a gradual decline.
* BHB, NEFA and urea. Fig 9 shows that the overall levels ofplasma BHB were higher in winter than in summer. There wasan increase in BHB during the journey in the groups trans-ported in summer. The levels of BHB in the two control groupsremained relatively constant throughout the experiment butin both summer and winter there were increases in BHB in allthe transported groups after eight hours of recovery and againafter three weeks of recovery. The levels of NEFA increased sub-stantially during the journey in all the transported groups (Fig10). In the summer, the levels had returned to values similarto those in the control group within four hours of the end ofthe journey, and in the winter they had decreased below thecontrol values within four hours. There were lower levels ofNEFA after four, 16 and 36 hours of recovery in both summerand winter. There were different patterns of change in the lev-els of plasma urea in summer and winter (Fig 11). In summer,there was an increase during the journey in all the groupsexcept the E group. After the journey the levels in the trans-ported groups tended to decrease during the first 16 hoursin the summer, and during the first 36 hours in the winter.However, the values in the control calves remained fairly con-stant throughout the study except for an increase whichaffected all groups in both summer and winter, after threeweeks of recovery.
* Total protein, albumin and osmolality. The levels of totalprotein increased after the journey in the W group in thesummer and in theW and U groups in the winter (Fig 12).The changes observed in the control groups during the first24 hours of the recovery period suggest a diurnal variation,with a minimum level at approximately 19.00. In winter thecalves in all the groups had increased levels of total proteinafter three weeks of recovery. The levels of plasma albuminafter the journeys were also increased in the W group in thesummer and in theW and U groups in the winter, and in thewinter the levels were increased in all the groups after threeweeks of recovery (Fig 13). There were no changes in plasmaosmolality due to treatment, or with time, but in the summerthe mean osmolality of the calves was higher than in the win-ter, with values of 286-8 and 283-5 (0.03) mosmol.
DISCUSSION
Previous work has shown that in calves most of the variablesmeasured after a journey lasting 24 hours returned to pre-transport values after a 24-hour recovery period, but that thecalves liveweight did not return to that of control animals
40 -
38
> 36.3)
34-
Summer-------- Winter
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
FIG 5: Changes in Pcv in the calves insummer and in winter. The time scale isnot linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
(a) 7-
1 ^6-
S0E
E 5
5.C, 4.1
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
FIG 6: Changes in plasma cortisol in thecalves in summer and in winter. The timescale is not linear. Error bars show the semof all measurements taken at that time
(b) 7.
S0EE
a00E2X
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
6-
5-
4-
ControlElectrolyte
-------- Unfed----- Water
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)FIG 7: Changes in plasma glucose concentration in the four treatment groups in(a) winter and (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
Sample time (hr) Sample time (hr)FIG 8: Changes in plasma creatine kinase (cK) activity in the four treatment groups in(a) winter and (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
(a)0351
(b)0-35
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168336504
Sample time (hr)
I
FIG 9: Changes in plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration in the four treatmentgroups in (a) winter and (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the semof all measurements taken at that time
The Veterinary Record, June 19, 1999
030-
8 2s0
E 0-20-ElZ 015-
m
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168336 504
Sample time (hr)
32 B . .
35.. ..-.I. 3 1
0 0 I
I
I
690
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
Sample time (hr)Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
FIG 10: Changes in plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration in the fourtreatment groups in (a) winter and (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error barsshow the sem of all measurements taken at that time
(a) c.< (b) r
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)Pr Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr)
FIG 11: Changes in plasma urea concentration in the four treatment groups in (a) winterand (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
(a) (b)
P, Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504 Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr) Sample time (hr)
FIG 12: Changes in plasma total protein concentration in the four treatment groups in(a) winter and (b) summer.The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
(a)43 (b) 43
41A
41 Control
Water
E ~ ~ ~~
35 3
Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504 Pre Post 4 8 16 24 36 48 72 168 336 504
Sample time (hr) Sample time (hr)
FIG 13: Changes in plasma albumin concentration in the four treatment groups in(a) winter and (b) summer. The time scale is not linear. Error bars show the sem of allmeasurements taken at that time
until between 24 and 72 hours after the journey (Knowles andothers 1997). It was also found that mid-journey feeding wasof only limited benefit and it was concluded that under com-mercial conditions mid-journey feeding was likely to be detri-mental. The results of the present study add further evidencein support ofthese conclusions. The direct effects of 19 hoursof transport were readily observed in terms of reductions inliveweight and plasma glucose levels, and increases in plasmaCK, BHB and NEFA; during the winter trial, reductions in bodytemperature and increases in the levels of plasma total pro-tein and albumin were also observed. These variables hadmostly recovered to the values observed in the untransportedcontrol groups within 24 hours. However, the calves'liveweight appeared to be reduced in the transported groupsfor up to 48 hours in the summer, and for between 72 and 168hours in the winter, and the activity of CK remained high inthe E and U groups in summer for 72 hours after the journey.Feeding the calves mid-way through the journey was of onlyminimal benefit. Feeding electrolyte did appear to reduce thedegree of dehydration, as indicated by decreases in plasmatotal protein and albumin concentrations, but feeding wateralone appeared to increase the levels of plasma total proteinand plasma albumin. These changes were probably due to adisruption of electrolyte balance, because most of the calveswould not normally have drunk as much water at that age.Mid-transport feeding had a greater effect in the study byKnowles and others (1997), in which beneficial changes wereobserved in more of the variables; however, in that study thecalves were transported for 24 hours and fed and rested twice;after nine hours and after 17 hours.
In agreement with the previous work, the calves coped lesswell with being transported in winter. In addition to a greaterand more prolonged reduction in bodyweight, body temper-ature was markedly reduced for at least eight hours after thejourney, and high levels of plasma total protein and albuminprovided some evidence of dehydration. Using data fromWebster and others (1978) for Friesian calves of a similar age,calves kept at 3°C in a wind of 0. 15 m/s (a barely discernibledraught) would lose heat at 137 W/m2, a 37 per cent increasein heat loss above that lost by calves within their thermoneu-tral zone; this rate of loss would represent a substantial coldstress.
Also in agreement with the previous study, and with thework of Kent and Ewbank (1986), the calves did not mountthe usual stress responses observed in older animals and inother species. These factors, together with the mixing of calvesfrom different sources which would occur during commer-cial transport, would make calves more susceptible to disease.Cortisol levels remained low throughout the journeys andthere was no obvious response in the levels of either plasmacortisol or plasma glucose. This lack of a significant adrenalresponse could be interpreted as suggesting the lack of a wel-fare problem in the short term, but in the longer term the rel-atively high rates of mortality in calves after they have beentransported (Knowles 1995) suggest otherwise. However, thiseffect does indicate the difficulties of interpreting biochemi-cal measurements in terms of animal welfare.
The interpretation of the changes observed in the variablesrecorded in Figs 3 to 13 was sometimes complicated by thediurnal variation apparent in the samples taken at times otherthan 07.00, that is after four, eight, 16 and 36 hours of recov-ery. In addition to the changes due to the calves' recovery fromthe journey, the values of glucose, BHB and NEFA were affectedto some extent by the proximity of the sampling time to thetime of the last feed. A diurnal pattern was also apparent inthe changes in the levels of urea (Fig 11). Pretransport val-ues and the other samples taken at 07.00 appeared to vary lessthan the samples taken at other times, except for the finalsample taken after three weeks. The rectal temperaturesrecorded during the night, after 16 and 36 hours of recovery,
The VeterInary Record, June 19, 1999
(a) 600-
500-
1-S 400-0E
U4300z
200-
= 4.5-s0E
40I--40
64-
62a
'S60c
i0a 58
5-56-
1mtY . . .io ion
CA -I .54
33 l * .I
The Veterlnary Record, June 19, 1999 691.
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
were higher than the temperatures recorded during the day,probably because the calves had been lying curled up in straw.
Most of the measurements made before the journey weresimilar to those recorded in the study by Knowles and others(1997) and were approximately within the expected range, butvery high activities of cK, were observed in both summer andwinter. These high CK levels could not be attributed to anyspecific factor but it is probable that they were due to somepart of the experimental procedure because the high levelsoccurred in both the summer and winter trials. However, thecalves were rested, undisturbed in pens for a week before thestart of the study, by which time any residual effects of mar-keting on CK levels would normally be expected to have dis-appeared. No explanation for these results can be offered.None of the other measurements made before the journeysgave anomalous results.
The measurements of some of the variables taken threeweeks after the journeys were different from the measure-ments taken earlier. Plasma BHB and urea in all the groups,and total protein and albumin in the winter groups were allmarkedly increased after three weeks. These increases weremost probably due to the growing calves having to mobilisebody reserves to compensate for the restricted milk replacerdiet that they were fed and, in addition, to their growingreliance on ruminant metabolism. The need to compensatewould have been greater in winter when there was an extrademand for heat production and this additional need wasassociated with the higher levels of BHB in all the calves in win-ter. The energy requirements of calves on a typical restrictedmilk replacer diet have been discussed by Schrama and oth-ers (1993). There was a decrease in PCV throughout the studyin all the calves. A similar decrease has been observed in stud-ies with slaughter sheep (Knowles and others 1995) and it wasascribed to the animals becoming gradually more accustomedto the stress involved in blood sampling. However, in a studyof similar growing calves by Welchman and others (1988) vir-tually identical changes in PCV were ascribed to generalchanges with age.
Transport had marked effects on the calves which weregreater in the winter when the loss of liveweight was greaterand more prolonged and their body temperature decreased.Feeding them halfway through the journey was of minimalbenefit, although feeding electrolyte did appear to reduce thedegree of dehydration as measured by relative decreases inplasma total protein and albumin concentrations. There wassome indication that feeding water alone was detrimental.However, as previously recommended by Knowles and oth-ers (1997) feeding is probably undesirable during a journeyof this length, because in commercial practice the deleteriouseffects of the additional stress caused by handling and feed-ing the calves would be likely to outweigh any benefits.However, once calves have completed the journey they shouldbe fed as soon as possible. Most of the variables whichchanged during the journey had returned within 24 hours tovalues close to those recorded in control animals but thecalves'liveweight and plasma CK activity took up to 168 hoursto do so.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are grateful for the assistance of Simon Adams,Norman Ebdon, Julie Ford, Ben Hewett, Pauline Hunt, JustinMcKinstry, Mark Osborne and Anita Robinson. The work wasfunded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
KENT, J. E. & EWBANK, R. (1986) The effect of road transportation on theblood constituents and behaviour of calves. II. One to three weeks old. British
Veterinary Journal 142, 131-140KNOWLES, T. G. (1995) A review of post transport mortality among younger
calves. Veterinary Record 137, 406-407KNOWLES, T. G., BROWN, S. N., WARRISS, P. D., PHILLIPS, A. J., DOLAN,
S. K., HUNT, P., FORD, J. E., EDWARDS, J. E. & WATKINS, P. E. (1995) Theeffects on sheep of transport by road for up to 24 hours. Veterinary Record136,431-438
KNOWLES, T. G.,WARRISS, P. D., BROWN, S. N., EDWARDS, J. E.,WATKINS,P. E. & PHILLIPS, A. J. (1997) Effects on calves less than one month old offeeding or not feeding them during road transport of up to 24 hours.Veterinary Record 140, 116-124
KNOWLES, T. G., WARRISS, P. D., BROWN, S. N., KESTIN, S. C., RHIND,S. M., EDWARDS, J. E., ANIL, M. H. & DOLAN, S. K. (1993) Long distancetransport of lambs and the time needed for subsequent recovery. VeterinaryRecord 133, 286-293
LEECH, F. B., MACRAE,W. D. & MENZIES, D. W. (1968) Calfwastage and hus-bandry in Britain, 1962-63. London, HMSO
SCHRAMA, J. W., ARIELI, A., VAN DER HEL, W. & VERSTEGEN, M. W. A.(1993) Evidence of increasing thermal requirement in young unadaptedcalves during 6 to 11 days of age. Journal ofAnimal Science 71, 1761-1766
WEBSTER, A. J. F., GORDON, J. G. & McGREGOR, R. (1978) The cold toler-ance ofbeefand dairy type calves in the first weeks of life. Animal Production26,85-92
WELCHMAN, D. de B., WHELEHAN, 0. P. & WEBSTER, A. J. F. (1988)Haematology of veal calves reared in different husbandry systems and theassessment of iron deficiency. Veterinary Record 123, 505-510
_~ABSTRACTSReview and case reports ofequine sinonasal tumoursTHE gross and histological anatomy of the equine nasal andparanasal sinuses are described, and the relationships betweenthe local anatomy and the occurrence of different types oftumour and how they spread are examined. The histologicalclassification of the more common tumours and tumour-likelesions are discussed. The review also includes clinical andpathological descriptions of 50 such tumours, and thefollowing paper gives a further 28 case reports.
HEAD, K.W. & DIXON, P.M. (1999) Veterinaryjournal 157,261; and DIXON,P.M. & HEAD, K. W. (1999) VeterinaryJournal 157,279
Lifetime productivity of sowsA RETROSPECTIVE cohort study was made of 9416 breed-ing gilts and sows in 29 herds to investigate the relationshipbetween their lifetime productivity and the time they spent inthe herds. Fifty-eight per cent of the animals were culled fromthe herds at a parity of three or less. On average 20*7 per centof the pigs' time in the herds was spent in non-reproductiveactivities, but the proportion of non-reproductive activitydecreased significantly as their parity at the time they wereculled increased. The number of non-productive days peryear decreased, and the number of litters weaned and thenumber of pigs weaned per year increased as the parity of thesow at culling increased. Parity at culling is commonly usedas an approximation to lifetime productivity, but it does nottake into account the impact of non-productive days, partic-ularly during early reproductive cycles.
LUCIA, T., DIAL, G. D. & MARSH, W. E. (1999) Journal of the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association 214, 1056
The Veterinary Record, June 19, 1999692
group.bmj.com on March 21, 2013 - Published by veterinaryrecord.bmj.comDownloaded from
