A technique for the safe sampling of blood from cattle during transportation is described. The technique was validated using four 2.5-year-old Bos indicus steers held in stalls on a stationary body truck for 2 h, transported for 4 h and then held on a stationary truck for a further 2 h. The length of time required to take a blood sample from one animal using this technique was 30 s. Information gathered using this technique will be helpful in understanding the physiological reactions of cattle to transportation.

This study investigated the effect of 72 h of road transport on the immune status of Bos indicus steers (n = 10; age = 15 to 18 mo). Total and differential leukocyte numbers and lymphocyte function were determined at 2 d before transport (-48 h), immediately after 72 h of transport (72 h), and 6 d after transport (216 h). Phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation, interferon-gamma production, and tetanus-toxoid specific antibody levels were determined. Total leukocyte and eosinophil numbers showed a transient decrease at 72 h (immediately after transport; P < 0.05) and returned to baseline values by 6 d after transport. Lymphocyte numbers and antibody titers were unaffected by transportation. The PHA-stimulated lymphocyte proliferation decreased (P < 0.05) at 72 h and returned to baseline levels 6 d after transport. This study demonstrated that transportation of mature Bos indicus steers caused transient decreases in leukocyte numbers and lymphocyte function, although all measures recovered by 6 d after transport. Therefore, Bos indicus cattle may be vulnerable to infection during this period.

This study investigated the effects of excess cortisol on physiological mechanisms that resist dehydration in Bos indicus steers (n = 31, 2 yr of age, 193 +/- 21.47 kg mean BW) during a 90-h period. Steers were assigned randomly to one of four groups: 1) no water/no cortisol (n = 8), 2) water/no cortisol (n = 8), 3) no water/cortisol (n = 8), and 4) water/cortisol (n = 7). Animals allocated to cortisol treatment groups were given 0.1 mg x kg BW(-1) x h(-1) of hydrocortisone suspended in isotonic saline for the duration of the study. Total body water, osmolality, hematocrit, urine output, feed and water intake, and plasma concentrations of arginine vasopressin (AVP), angiotensin II (AII), electrolytes, total protein, and albumin were determined at 24-h intervals for 90 h. In the presence of excess plasma cortisol, total body water was maintained in the presence of a water deprivation insult for 90 h, whereas hydration indices, such as total plasma protein and albumin, did not change, supporting the body water data. However, plasma osmolality increased for the water-deprived groups from 24 h (P = 0.008). Hematocrit did not reflect dehydration in any group. Water deprivation induced an increase in endogenous plasma cortisol concentrations after 60 h of the study (P = 0.028). Plasma concentrations of AVP increased with water deprivation (P = 0.006). Excess cortisol decreased the plasma concentration of AVP at 72 h only (P = 0.027) and suppressed plasma concentrations of AII at 24 and 72 h (P < 0.001 and P = 0.036, respectively). Animals treated with excess cortisol maintained urinary output for 48 h before decreasing at 72 h (P = 0.057), although there was no effect on water or feed intake. Water deprivation increased plasma sodium concentrations (P < 0.05) until 72 h, whereas potassium decreased under the influence of excess plasma cortisol (P = 0.001) at 24 h. Water deprivation increased plasma chloride concentration at 72 and 90 h (P = 0.051 and P = 0.026, respectively). Plasma phosphorus decreased at 24 h (P = 0.001) and remained at lesser concentrations for the duration of the study (P = 0.05). These results highlight the complexity of endocrine interactions associated with water balance in Bos indicus steers. We accept our hypothesis that, in the presence of excess cortisol, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis is suppressed; however, homeostasis is achieved through other physiological systems.

There is a lack of information pertaining to the effects of transport stress on the acid-base physiology of ruminants. The effect of transportation and/or feed and water deprivation on acid-base balance was studied using 19 2-yr-old Bos indicus steers. The steers were allocated to one of three groups: 1) control, offered ad libitum access to feed and water (n = 8); 2) water and feed deprived, offered no feed or water for 60 h (n = 6); and 3) transported, offered no feed or water for 12 h, and then transported for 48 h (n = 5). Blood gases, electrolytes, lactate, total protein, albumin, anion gap, strong ion difference, and total weak acids were determined at the conclusion of transportation. Arterial blood pH did not differ among the experimental groups. Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) was lower for the water and feed deprived (P = 0.023) group than for the control group. Plasma total protein, albumin and total weak acid concentrations were higher for the transported (P = 0.001, P = 0.03, P = 0.01) and water- and feed-deprived (P = 0.000, P = 0.003, P = 0.001) groups, respectively, compared with the control group. Transported animals had a lower plasma concentration of potassium (P = 0.026) compared with the control animals. This study demonstrates that although blood pH remains within normal values in transported and fasted steers, the primary challenge to a transported or feed- and water-deprived animal is a mild metabolic acidosis induced by elevated plasma proteins, which may be the result of a loss of body water. The loss of electrolytes had little effect on the acid-base balance of the animals.

The effect on water and electrolyte balance of stress, simulated by intravenous infusion of cortisol, was studied using 24 18-mo-old Merino wethers (37.0 +/- 0.94 kg mean body weight [BW]) over 72 h. The sheep were allocated to one of four groups: 1) no water/no cortisol (n = 6); 2) water/no cortisol (n = 4); 3) no water/cortisol (n = 6); and 4) water/cortisol (n = 4). Animals allocated to the two cortisol groups were given 0.1 mg x kg BW(-1) x h(-1) of hydrocortisone suspended in isotonic saline to simulate stress for the duration of the experiment. Total body water, plasma cortisol, osmolality and electrolytes, and urine electrolytes were determined at 24-h intervals for 72 h. In the presence of cortisol, total body water was maintained in the face of a water deprivation insult for 72 h. Water deprivation alone did not induce elevated plasma concentrations of cortisol, in spite of a 13% loss of total body water between 48 and 72 h. Infusion of cortisol was found to increase urine output (P = 0.003) and decrease total urinary sodium output (P = 0.032), but had no effect on plasma electrolyte levels or water intake. Water deprivation was found to increase plasma sodium concentrations (P = 0.037). These results indicate that sheep given cortisol to simulate stress suffer from a loss of body water in excess of that associated with a loss of electrolytes, and support the hypothesis that elevated physiological concentrations of cortisol induce a diuresis in ruminants that contributes to dehydration.