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Administration of dexamethasone peros in finishing bulls. II. Effects on blood parameters used as indicators of animal welfare

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2008

A. Marin ,
G. Pozza ,
F. Gottardo ,
L. Moro ,
A. L. Stefani ,
G. Cozzi ,
M. Brscic ,
I. Andrighetto  and
L. Ravarotto
A. Marin
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
G. Pozza
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
F. Gottardo
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
L. Moro
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
A. L. Stefani*
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
G. Cozzi
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
M. Brscic
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
I. Andrighetto
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
L. Ravarotto
Affiliation:
Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
*
E-mail: astefani@izsvenezie.it
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Abstract

A set of hormonal, haematological and biochemical parameters was used to evaluate the physiological response and welfare status of 14 finishing Marchigiana bulls treated for 49 days with a low daily dosage (0.75 mg/head per day) of dexamethasone peros. Compared to the Control group, dexamethasone decreased cortisol concentrations (42.3 v. 5.7 nmol/l; s.e.d. = 4.17; P < 0.001), and led to the reversal of the leukocyte formula in the animals treated (P < 0.05). Total serum proteins (70.2 v. 73.9 g/l; s.e.d. = 1.55; P < 0.05), in particular β1 globulins (7.5 v. 9.1 g/l; s.e.d. = 0.24; P < 0.01) and fibrinogen (199 v. 258 mg/dl; s.e.d. = 32.70; P < 0.05), increased as a consequence of treatment. Prolonged dexamethasone administration led the bulls to an apparently chronic stress condition. Moreover, the study indicated various blood parameters that might be used by health officials as effective tools in identifying beef cattle suspected of being illegally treated with dexamethasone.

Keywords

beef cattlebiochemical parametersdexamethasonehaematological parametershormonal parameters
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 7 , July 2008 , pp. 1080 - 1086
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

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