scholarly journals The Effect of Transport Stress on Corticosterone Metabolites in Pheasant Droppings

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Volfova ◽  
Zuzana Machovcova ◽  
Pavel Forejtek ◽  
Eva Voslarova ◽  
Iveta Bedanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Immunoassay ◽  
Health Protection ◽  
Phasianus Colchicus ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Transport Stress ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites

Abstract BackgroundTransport has been proven to represent a significant stressor for animals. In view of the fact that pheasants are frequently reared in captivity in hatcheries and are then transported for the purpose of their sale or release, it is essential from the viewpoint of welfare and health protection to obtain as much information as possible about their response to this stressor. The aim of this study was to assess changes in corticosterone metabolite (CM) levels related to transport in common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus). MethodsSixteen birds aged 17 weeks were crated and transported for 3.5 hours (distance travelled 140 km) to the target customer. Individual droppings were collected during the 2 days prior to transport and 3 days after transport. Concentrations of faecal CMs were determined with a non-commercial EIA (enzyme-immunoassay) kit, cortisone was used as a standard and values were expressed as cortisone equivalents in ng per g of droppings. ResultsTransport represents a major stressor for animals and this was also reflected in increased CM concentrations in the droppings in our study. CM concentrations increased within 24 hours of transport (P < 0.01) as compared to pre-transport levels (533.82 ng/g vs. 228.85 ng/g) and continued to rise for another 24 hours (745.35 ng/g). Three days after transport CM concentrations fell back to baseline levels (297.97 ng/g). ConclusionsThe EIA used in this study proved to be sensitive enough to detect biologically meaningful alterations in the adrenocortical activity of pheasants exposed to procedures related to their transport.

scholarly journals Effect of Ground Transportation on Adrenocortical Activity in Prepuberal Female Mice from Five Different Genetic Backgrounds

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Sonja Rumpel ◽  
Christina Scholl ◽  
Anja Göbel ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
Esther Mahabir
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Background ◽  
Average Duration ◽  
Stressful Event ◽  
Research Facility ◽  
Embryo Production ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Experimental Protocols ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Fecal Corticosterone Metabolites

Specific experimental protocols necessitate transportation, a potentially stressful event that could confound results. We determined adrenocortical activity by measuring fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs), as a stress marker, in prepuberal (three-week old) female C57BL/6J, C57BL/6NCrl, FVB/NCrl, Crl:CD1(ICR), and BALB/cAnCrl mice. On each transport day, five female cage mates per genetic background were weaned and transported in stable groups via truck from the breeding to the research facility. Fecal pellets were collected on Days 0, 1, and 4. Mice were superovulated for embryo production to determine if repeated fecal collection impacts this procedure. The average duration of transportation over 600 km and from packing to unpacking of mice was 7.24 and 22.62 h, respectively. FCM levels increased from Day 0 to Day 1 and decreased on Day 4 in all genetic backgrounds except in FVB/NCrl, but only B6N showed significantly higher FCM levels on Day 1. Furthermore, embryo production was not affected by repeated feces collection. The results show that weaning and immediate transport of prepuberal mice from the breeding to the research facility led to temporal and genetic background-dependent increases of adrenocortical activity in four of the five genetic backgrounds investigated, which returned to baseline levels within four days.

scholarly journals The effects of transport stress on the behaviour and adrenocortical activity of the black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata)

2019 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-92 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Volfová ◽  
Zuzana Machovcová ◽  
Franz Schwarzenberger ◽  
Eva Voslářová ◽  
Iveta Bedáňová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Observation ◽  
Activity Analysis ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Transport Stress ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Ruffed Lemur ◽  
Positive Effect

The aim of this study was to assess behavioural and glucocorticoid changes in black-and-white ruffed lemur females transported for breeding purposes between Czech ZOOs. The frequency of the presented behaviour elements was recorded via direct observation. The faecal samples were collected from the floor and subsequently the faecal glucocorticoid values were determined using specifically designed assays for faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) analysis. While the frequency of certain comfort behaviour patterns decreased (P < 0.05) in response to transport and change of the environment, grooming, resting, sleeping as well as playful behaviour (chasing, climbing) were not affected (P > 0.05). No changes were found in the frequency of behaviour connected to metabolic events with the exception of defecation. Lemur females defecated more frequently (P < 0.05) in their new environment. The frequency of neither fear nor exploratory behaviour differed (P > 0.05) before and after transport. The positive effect of the novelty was shown by the reduction (P < 0.01) of behavioural signs of frustration and stereotypical behaviour after transport. In response to transport, a significant (P < 0.05) increase of FGM levels was found the second day after the transport, reaching peak levels in the morning and starting to decline to baseline levels in the afternoon. The results of both behaviour and adrenocortical activity analysis suggest that despite some presented changes in the monitored indices prior and after transport, the transportation under the studied conditions presented only a mild stressor with limited behavioural and glucocorticoid responses.

scholarly journals Non-Invasive Monitoring of Adrenocortical Activity in Three Sympatric Desert Gerbil Species

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 75
Author(s):  
Álvaro Navarro-Castilla ◽  
Mario Garrido ◽  
Hadas Hawlena ◽  
Isabel Barja
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample ◽  
Post Injection ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Endocrine Status ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Small Sample Sizes ◽  
Fecal Corticosterone Metabolites

The study of the endocrine status can be useful to understand wildlife responses to the changing environment. Here, we validated an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to non-invasively monitor adrenocortical activity by measuring fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM) in three sympatric gerbil species (Gerbillus andersoni, G. gerbillus and G. pyramidum) from the Northwestern Negev Desert’s sands (Israel). Animals included into treatment groups were injected with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) to stimulate adrenocortical activity, while control groups received a saline solution. Feces were collected at different intervals and FCM were quantified by an EIA. Basal FCM levels were similar in the three species. The ACTH effect was evidenced, but the time of FCM peak concentrations appearance differed between the species (6–24 h post-injection). Furthermore, FCM peak values were observed sooner in G. andersoni females than in males (6 h and 18 h post-injection, respectively). G. andersoni and G. gerbillus males in control groups also increased FCM levels (18 h and 48 h post-injection, respectively). Despite the small sample sizes, our results confirmed the EIA suitability for analyzing FCM in these species as a reliable indicator of the adrenocortical activity. This study also revealed that close species, and individuals within a species, can respond differently to the same stressor.

scholarly journals Effects of bio-loggers on behaviour and corticosterone metabolites of Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) in the field and in captivity

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Verena Puehringer-Sturmayr ◽  
Matthias-Claudio A. Loretto ◽  
Josef Hemetsberger ◽  
Tanja Czerny ◽  
Johannes Gschwandegger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Captivity ◽  
Geronticus Eremita ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites

scholarly journals An association between feather damaging behavior and corticosterone metabolite excretion in captive African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus)

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e2462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierluca Costa ◽  
Elisabetta Macchi ◽  
Emanuela Valle ◽  
Michele De Marco ◽  
Daniele M. Nucera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Disorders ◽  
Repeated Measure ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
Psittacus Erithacus ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites

BackgroundAfrican grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) are kept as pets and are frequently hand-reared. It has been observed that hand-reared African grey parrots may develop behavioral disorders such as feather damaging behavior (FDB). It is well known that chronic stress is involved in behavioral disorders in captive parrots. The main glucocorticoid in birds is corticosterone; its quantification provides information about adrenocortical activity and is considered to be a reliable indicator of stress levels in birds. We analyzed the differences in the excretion of corticosterone metabolites (CM) in the droppings of African grey parrots characterized by: 1. different rearing histories (parent rearing vs. hand rearing); and 2. the presence or absence of FDB in hand-reared parrots.MethodsA total of 82 African grey parrots that were kept in captivity were considered. According to breeding methods, three groups of birds were defined: 1. The parent-reared (PR) parrots included birds kept in pairs (n= 30 pairs) with a conspecific partner of the opposite sex. All of these birds were healthy and never showed FDB signs; 2. The healthy hand-reared parrots (H-HR) included pet parrots individually kept, that were hand-reared and did not display any sign of FDB (n= 11, 7 males and 4 females); 3. The FDB hand-reared parrot (FDB-HR) included pet parrots individually kept, that were hand-reared and displayed FDB (n= 11, 7 males and 4 females). Droppings were collected in the morning over three alternating days in autumn 2014 and spring 2015. The CM were determined using a multi-species corticosterone enzyme immunoassay kit. Split-plot repeated-measure ANOVA was used to examine any differences using group, season and group × season as the main factors.ResultsDifferent quantities of CM in droppings were found for the three groups. The mean CM value was 587 ng/g in the PR parrots, 494 ng/g in the H-HR parrots and 1,744 ng/g in the FDB-HR parrots, irrespective of the season. The excretion of CM in FDB-HR was significantly higher than in PR or H-HR parrots. CM in droppings were not influenced by the season (autumn vs. spring); furthermore, the interaction between group and sampling season was not significant. Limited to the H-HR and FDB-HR groups, a trend in the significance of the difference in the mean CM excreted by male and female birds was observed, with the levels excreted by males being higher than those excreted by females. When the effect of age was considered (in the two separate groups), there was a statistically significant positive correlation only for H-HR.ConclusionsThe highest amount of CM excretion was found in FDB-HR parrots, and a positive correlation between age and CM excretion was found in H-HR. Given that the CM excretion of both PR and H-HR parrots was similar in our study, future research is recommended to investigate the specific aspects of hand-rearing to improve parrot welfare.

scholarly journals Faecal Cortisol Metabolites as an Indicator of Adrenocortical Activity in Farmed Blue Foxes

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2631
Author(s):  
Eeva A. Ojala ◽  
Mika Kurkilahti ◽  
Anne Lene Hovland ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
Jaakko Mononen
Keyword(s):  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Control Period ◽  
Pairwise Comparison ◽  
Diurnal Fluctuation ◽  
Stress Indicator ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Welfare studies of blue foxes would benefit from a measurement of faecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) as a non-invasive, physiological stress parameter reflecting hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity. Before implementation, a species-specific validation of such a method is required. Therefore, we conducted a physiological validation of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure FCMs in blue foxes. Twenty individuals (nine males and eleven females) were injected with synthetic adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and faecal samples were collected every third h for two days. The FCM baseline levels were assessed based on the first sampling day (control period, 144 samples), followed by the ACTH injection and the second day of sampling (treatment period, 122 samples). FCMs were analysed with a 5α-pregnane-3ß,11ß,21-triol-20-one EIA. We compared the estimated mean FCM concentrations of the treatment samples to the baseline average. All samples for the two periods were collected at the same time of the day, which enabled to test the data also with an hourly pairwise comparison. With the two statistical approaches, we tested whether a possible diurnal fluctuation in the FCM concentrations affected the interpretation of the results. Compared to the baseline levels, both approaches showed 2.4–3.2 times higher concentrations on time points sampled 8–14 h after the ACTH injection (p < 0.05). The estimated FCM concentrations also fluctuated slightly within the control period (p < 0.01). Inter-individual variations in FCM levels were marked, which highlights the importance of having a sufficient number of animals in experiments utilising FCMs. The sampling intervals of 3 h enabled forming of informative FCM curves. Taken together, this study proves that FCM analysis with a 5α-pregnane-3ß,11ß,21-triol-20-one EIA is a valid measurement of adrenocortical activity in the farmed blue foxes. Therefore, it can be utilised as a non-invasive stress indicator in future animal welfare studies of the species.

scholarly journals Examination the stresseffect of litter’s let-together system (“kindergarten”) by measuring faecal cortisol metabolites of sows and piglets

2016 ◽  
pp. 87-90
Author(s):  
Zsolt Győri ◽  
Margit Kulcsár ◽  
Péter Balogh ◽  
László Huzsvai ◽  
Gabriella Novotniné Dankó
Keyword(s):  
Stress Effect ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Invasive Method ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Pig Husbandry ◽  
Cortisol Metabolites

Piglets in commercial intensive pig husbandry are often abruptly weaned between 3 and 4 weeks for economic reasons. The process of weaning is a multifactorial stressor, in which nutritional, social, physical and psychologic stressors are combined. Piglets are often exposed to unfamiliar piglets around weaning which results in a period of vigorous fighting. Stress plays an important part in welfare research. Traditionally glucocorticoids are measured in blood samples but their use is often limited as the act of sample collection may stress an animal. Measurement of faecal cortisol/corticosterone metabolites is a non-invasive method for evaluation adrenocortical activity. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of litter’s let-together system (“kindergarten”) in the farrowing house by measuring faecal cortisol metabolites. According to our results the “kindergarten” system has no stress effect on sows and piglets, respectively.

scholarly journals Effects of Radio-Transmitters on Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels in Captive Dickcissels

The Condor ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 805-810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly M. Suedkamp Wells ◽  
Brian E. Washburn ◽  
Joshua J. Millspaugh ◽  
Mark R. Ryan ◽  
Michael W. Hubbard
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
The Other ◽  
Fecal Samples ◽  
Spiza Americana ◽  
Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Radio Transmitters ◽  
Baseline Levels ◽  
Fecal Glucocorticoid

Abstract We determined the effects of a leg-harness transmitter on fecal glucocorticoid levels of wild male Dickcissels (Spiza americana) in captivity. During the postbreeding season of 2001, we captured 10 male Dickcissels in central Missouri and housed them in individual pens of an outdoor aviary. We radio-tagged five birds; the other five were captured and handled, but were not radio-tagged. We collected fecal samples every other day prior to attachment (31 July–21 August) and after attachment (24 August–20 September). Body condition and morphology were similar between control and transmitter-equipped birds. We observed a significant interaction between transmitter attachment and time since attachment. Compared to baseline levels, fecal glucocorticoid metabolites were significantly lower in control (6.1 ± 13.7 ng g−1) than transmitter-equipped (102.3 ± 13.7 ng g−1) birds during the first 24 hr after attachment. Although transmitter-equipped birds showed elevated fecal glucocorticoid levels, the response was acute and returned to baseline levels within 48 hr. Efecto de los Radiotransmisores en los Niveles de Glucocorticoides Fecales en Individuos Cautivos de Spiza americana Resumen. Determinamos los efectos de poner un transmisor con arnés de pata en los niveles de glucocorticoides fecales de machos silvestres de Spiza americana en cautiverio. Durante la temporada post-reproductiva de 2001, capturamos 10 individuos de S. americana en la parte central de Missouri y hospedamos estas aves en jaulas individuales que formaban parte de un aviario al aire libre. Pusimos radio-transmisores en sólo cinco de estos pájaros, los otros cinco sólo fueron capturados y manipulados. Colectamos muestras fecales en días alternados antes (31 julio–21 agosto) y después (24 agosto–20 septiembre) de poner los transmisores. La condición corporal y morfología fueron similares entre individuos con transmisor y individuos control. Observamos una interacción significativa entre poner los transmisores y el tiempo desde que fueron puestos. Comparados con niveles iniciales, hubo diferencias significativas en los metabolitos de los glucocorticoides fecales entre los pájaros control (6.1 ± 13.7 ng g−1) y con transmisores (102.3 ± 13.7 ng g−1) durante las primeras 24 hr despues de ponerlos. Aunque los pájaros con transmisores mostraron niveles elevados de glucocorticoides fecales, la respuesta aguda regresó a niveles iniciales en menos de 48 hr.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Stress Response in North American Deermice: Laboratory and Field Validation of Two Enzyme Immunoassays for Fecal Corticosterone Metabolites

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1120
Author(s):  
Andreas Eleftheriou ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
Rudy Boonstra
Keyword(s):  
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ◽  
Stress Physiology ◽  
Post Injection ◽  
Field Validation ◽  
Wildlife Ecology ◽  
Adrenocortical Activity ◽  
Enzyme Immunoassays ◽  
Fecal Cortisol ◽  
Corticosterone Metabolites ◽  
Fecal Corticosterone Metabolites

Stress physiology is commonly employed in studies of wildlife ecology and conservation. Accordingly, we need robust and suitable methods to measure stress physiology in the field. Fecal cortisol/corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) are now increasingly being used to non-invasively evaluate adrenocortical activity; a measure of stress physiology. However, immunoassays that measure FCMs must be appropriately validated prior to their use and factors that can influence FCMs, such as trap-induced stress, must be considered. Deermice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are widely used in scientific studies so that developing methods that appropriately measure their adrenocortical activity is critical. In the laboratory, we tested the suitability of two enzyme immunoassays (EIAs; a corticosterone EIA, and a group-specific 5α-pregnane-3β,11β,21-triol-20-one EIA) in deermice by challenging individuals with dexamethasone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). We found that dexamethasone suppressed FCM levels within ~10 h post injection whereas ACTH increased FCM levels within ~2 h post injection. In the field, we found that FCM levels generally increased with more time in trap confinement when using both EIAs. Although we acknowledge low sample sizes (N = 4), our results validated the two EIAs for use with FCMs from deermice.

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