Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter

Food animal production involves routine husbandry procedures including handling, transportation, introduction to novel environments, and eventually slaughter. These activitiesincur stress and pain to the animals. Pre-slaughter management of these animals could impact the experience of pain at...

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Main Author: Othman, Azalea Hani
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2020
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Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97872/1/FPV%202021%204%20UPMIR.pdf
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spelling my-upm-ir.978722022-07-07T00:33:40Z Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter 2020-05 Othman, Azalea Hani Food animal production involves routine husbandry procedures including handling, transportation, introduction to novel environments, and eventually slaughter. These activitiesincur stress and pain to the animals. Pre-slaughter management of these animals could impact the experience of pain at slaughter. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of stressors in routine livestock management, by the changes in haematological parameters, serum biochemical, stress hormone, electroencephalogram (EEG), and neuro-histological findings, in goats subjected to 1-, 2-, and 6-h road transportation, pre-slaughter 3-, 6-, and 16-h lairage, and slaughter. Goats exposed to 1-h road transportation showed higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N:L), neutrophil counts, plasma cortisol concentrations (CORT), and serum creatine kinase (CK) at post-transportation and post-slaughter than at pre-transportation (baseline) period. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), plasma protein (PP) and hematocrit (PCV) did not vary from baseline. The EEG median frequency (F50) was significantly higher (p<0.05) at pre-slaughter than baseline suggesting increased arousal state, and remained high at post-slaughter period. It is suggested that the stress of handling, novel environment, and transportation increased slaughter pain threshold in goats through stress-induced analgesia (SIA) mechanism. Goats transported for 2 (T2) and 6 h (T6) showed significantly higher (p<0.05) neutrophil counts, serum CK and ALT concentrations than those at pre-transportation period. Based on the high CORT, goats of both transportation groups were already stressed prior to transportation. However, CORT value decreased and EEG unchanged after transportation, which could be attributed to adaptation of goats to the transportation conditions. Increased PCV and PP were also observed in the T6 goats, indicating dehydration. The T2 and T6 goats were subjected to lairage for either 3 (L3), 6 (L6) or 16 (L16) h before slaughter. Among treatment groups, the pre-slaughter F50 was highest in the goats subjected to 2-h transportation and 3-h lairage. The F50 values increased further at post-slaughter, which is evidence for nociception. Other groups showed decreased post-slaughter F50, indicating increased pain threshold. Based on histological findings, the highest prefrontal cortex (PFC) pyramidal cells c-Fos activities were in the T2-L6 goats. Together with increased serum CK from muscle damage, this manifestation is suggested to be associated with aggressive behaviour among goats. Increased PFC c-Fos activities in T6-L6 goats suggest involvement of SIA that had increased pain threshold. Increased EEG δ and θ power at post-slaughter indicate state of unconsciousness, which is proposed to also occur via the SIA mechanism. Based on the findings from the study, it is recommended that the length of lairage period after 2- and 6-h transportation should be between 6 to 16 h when aggressive physical interactions had reduced, for animals to experience minimal slaughter pain. The study showed that there is a relationship between activation of pyramidal cells c-Fos expression in the PFC of goats and the EEG responses to the stress and pain of slaughter. In conclusion, it is elucidated that emotional and cognitive elements of goats at pre-slaughter can affect stress regulation and influence the slaughter pain response in goats through the SIA mechanism. Goats - Effect of stress on Electrophysiology 2020-05 Thesis http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97872/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97872/1/FPV%202021%204%20UPMIR.pdf text en public doctoral Universiti Putra Malaysia Goats - Effect of stress on Electrophysiology Abdullah, Rasedee @ Mat
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
collection PSAS Institutional Repository
language English
advisor Abdullah, Rasedee @ Mat
topic Goats - Effect of stress on
Electrophysiology

spellingShingle Goats - Effect of stress on
Electrophysiology

Othman, Azalea Hani
Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
description Food animal production involves routine husbandry procedures including handling, transportation, introduction to novel environments, and eventually slaughter. These activitiesincur stress and pain to the animals. Pre-slaughter management of these animals could impact the experience of pain at slaughter. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effects of stressors in routine livestock management, by the changes in haematological parameters, serum biochemical, stress hormone, electroencephalogram (EEG), and neuro-histological findings, in goats subjected to 1-, 2-, and 6-h road transportation, pre-slaughter 3-, 6-, and 16-h lairage, and slaughter. Goats exposed to 1-h road transportation showed higher neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N:L), neutrophil counts, plasma cortisol concentrations (CORT), and serum creatine kinase (CK) at post-transportation and post-slaughter than at pre-transportation (baseline) period. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), plasma protein (PP) and hematocrit (PCV) did not vary from baseline. The EEG median frequency (F50) was significantly higher (p<0.05) at pre-slaughter than baseline suggesting increased arousal state, and remained high at post-slaughter period. It is suggested that the stress of handling, novel environment, and transportation increased slaughter pain threshold in goats through stress-induced analgesia (SIA) mechanism. Goats transported for 2 (T2) and 6 h (T6) showed significantly higher (p<0.05) neutrophil counts, serum CK and ALT concentrations than those at pre-transportation period. Based on the high CORT, goats of both transportation groups were already stressed prior to transportation. However, CORT value decreased and EEG unchanged after transportation, which could be attributed to adaptation of goats to the transportation conditions. Increased PCV and PP were also observed in the T6 goats, indicating dehydration. The T2 and T6 goats were subjected to lairage for either 3 (L3), 6 (L6) or 16 (L16) h before slaughter. Among treatment groups, the pre-slaughter F50 was highest in the goats subjected to 2-h transportation and 3-h lairage. The F50 values increased further at post-slaughter, which is evidence for nociception. Other groups showed decreased post-slaughter F50, indicating increased pain threshold. Based on histological findings, the highest prefrontal cortex (PFC) pyramidal cells c-Fos activities were in the T2-L6 goats. Together with increased serum CK from muscle damage, this manifestation is suggested to be associated with aggressive behaviour among goats. Increased PFC c-Fos activities in T6-L6 goats suggest involvement of SIA that had increased pain threshold. Increased EEG δ and θ power at post-slaughter indicate state of unconsciousness, which is proposed to also occur via the SIA mechanism. Based on the findings from the study, it is recommended that the length of lairage period after 2- and 6-h transportation should be between 6 to 16 h when aggressive physical interactions had reduced, for animals to experience minimal slaughter pain. The study showed that there is a relationship between activation of pyramidal cells c-Fos expression in the PFC of goats and the EEG responses to the stress and pain of slaughter. In conclusion, it is elucidated that emotional and cognitive elements of goats at pre-slaughter can affect stress regulation and influence the slaughter pain response in goats through the SIA mechanism.
format Thesis
qualification_level Doctorate
author Othman, Azalea Hani
author_facet Othman, Azalea Hani
author_sort Othman, Azalea Hani
title Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
title_short Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
title_full Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
title_fullStr Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
title_full_unstemmed Biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
title_sort biochemical and electrophysiological responses in goats subjected to transportation, lairage, and slaughter
granting_institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
publishDate 2020
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/97872/1/FPV%202021%204%20UPMIR.pdf
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