Effect of repeated confined single housing of young pigs on faecal excretion of cortisol and IgA
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Effect of repeated confined single housing of young pigs on faecal excretion of cortisol and IgA. / Royo, Felix; Lyberg, Karin; Abelson, Klas S.P.; Carlsson, Hans Erik; Hau, Jann.
In: Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science, Vol. 32, No. 1, 2005, p. 33-37.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of repeated confined single housing of young pigs on faecal excretion of cortisol and IgA
AU - Royo, Felix
AU - Lyberg, Karin
AU - Abelson, Klas S.P.
AU - Carlsson, Hans Erik
AU - Hau, Jann
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - During 48 days four young male, castrated Yorkshire x Landrace pigs (growers) were singly housed alternatively in standard pig pens (4 × 6 days) and metabolic cages (4 × 6 days). The faecal excretion of cortisol metabolites and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was quantified by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISAs). The first stay in the metabolic cage was associated with an increase in faecal cortisol levels, which may be interpreted as a symptom of acute stress. But when the pigs' visits to the metabolic cages were repeated, the faccal cortisol generally reverted to fairly low levels. Concomitantly, faecal IgA excretion decreased steadily during the study period suggesting sustained stress. The body weight gain was lower during periods when the pigs were housed in metabolic cages than when they were in pens. These results suggest that metabolic cages caused a continued stress condition in pigs. One pig showed consistent high IgA excretion and a smaller decline in body weight gain during periods in the metabolic cage than the other pigs. This pig thus appeared to be less stressed than the other pigs, but maintained high cortisol levels throughout the study period when housed in the ordinary pen. This indicates that cortisol may have a protective effect against the stress caused by housing in metabolic cages.
AB - During 48 days four young male, castrated Yorkshire x Landrace pigs (growers) were singly housed alternatively in standard pig pens (4 × 6 days) and metabolic cages (4 × 6 days). The faecal excretion of cortisol metabolites and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was quantified by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISAs). The first stay in the metabolic cage was associated with an increase in faecal cortisol levels, which may be interpreted as a symptom of acute stress. But when the pigs' visits to the metabolic cages were repeated, the faccal cortisol generally reverted to fairly low levels. Concomitantly, faecal IgA excretion decreased steadily during the study period suggesting sustained stress. The body weight gain was lower during periods when the pigs were housed in metabolic cages than when they were in pens. These results suggest that metabolic cages caused a continued stress condition in pigs. One pig showed consistent high IgA excretion and a smaller decline in body weight gain during periods in the metabolic cage than the other pigs. This pig thus appeared to be less stressed than the other pigs, but maintained high cortisol levels throughout the study period when housed in the ordinary pen. This indicates that cortisol may have a protective effect against the stress caused by housing in metabolic cages.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=17244368704&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://sjlas.org/index.php/SJLAS/article/view/77
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:17244368704
VL - 32
SP - 33
EP - 37
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Laboratory Animal Science
SN - 0901-3393
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 251637683