Characterisation of physiological and immunological responses in beef cows to abrupt weaning and subsequent housing

peer-reviewedBackground: Weaning involves the permanent separation of the calf from the dam and has been shown to be stressful for both. The objectives of this study were to characterise the effect of i) abrupt weaning and ii) subsequent housing on the extended physiological and immunological responses of beef cows. At weaning (day (d) 0, mean age of calf (s.d.) 212 (24.5) d), cows were abruptly separated from their calves and returned to the grazing area. After 35 d at pasture, cows were housed in a slatted floor shed and offered grass silage ad libitum plus a mineral-vitamin supplement daily. Rectal body temperature was recorded and blood samples were obtained on i) d 0 (weaning), 2, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and subsequently on ii) d 0 (housing), 2, 7, 14 and 21 for physiological, haematological and immunological measurements. Results: Post-weaning, concentration of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone were unchanged (P > 0.05). Rectal body temperature, neutrophil number and neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio increased (P 0.05). On d 2 post-housing, neutrophil number and neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio increased (P < 0.05), whereas lymphocyte number and concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone, fibrinogen and non-esterified fatty acid decreased (P < 0.05) compared with pre-housing baseline. Concentration of haptoglobin increased (P < 0.05) on d 14 to 21 post-housing. Conclusions: A transitory increase in neutrophil number and decrease in lymphocyte number, increased neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio coupled with decreased interferon-γ production, and increased concentration of acute phase proteins indicate a stress response in cows post-weaning, whereas post-housing, changes were less marked.Teagasc Walsh Fellowship; John Hume Scholarship (E.M. Lynch

Effect of pre-weaning concentrate supplementation on peripheral distribution of leukocytes, functional activity of neutrophils, acute phase protein and behavioural responses of abruptly weaned and housed beef calves

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The effect of pre-weaning concentrate supplementation on peripheral distribution of leukocytes, functional activity of neutrophils, acute phase protein response, metabolic and behavioural response, and performance of abruptly weaned and housed beef calves was investigated. Calves were grazed with their dams until the end of the grazing season when they were weaned and housed (day (d) 0) in a concrete slatted floor shed, and offered grass silage <it>ad libitum </it>plus supplementary concentrates. Twenty-six days prior to weaning and housing, 20 singled suckled, pure-bred Simmental male (non-castrated), (n = 10, m) and female (n = 10, f) calves were assigned to one of two treatments (i) concentrate supplement (CS: n = 10 (5 m and 5 f), mean age (s.d.) 201 (12.8) d, mean weight (s.d.) 258 (20.2) kg) or (ii) no concentrate supplement (controls) (NCS: n = 10, (5 m and 5 f), mean age (s.d.) 201 (13.4) d, mean weight (s.d.) 257 (19.6) kg) pre-weaning.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a treatment × sampling time interaction (<it>P </it>< 0.05) for percentage CD4⁺and WC1⁺(γδ T cells) lymphocytes and concentration of plasma globulin. On d 2, percentage CD4⁺lymphocytes decreased (<it>P </it>< 0.001) in both treatments. Subsequently on d 7, percentage of CD4⁺lymphocytes increased (<it>P </it>< 0.01) in CS compared with d 0, whereas percentage of CD4⁺lymphocytes in NCS did not differ (<it>P </it>> 0.05) from d 0. On d 2, WC1⁺lymphocytes decreased (<it>P </it>< 0.05) in both treatments but the decrease was greater (<it>P <</it>0.05) in NCS than CS. Subsequently, percentages did not differ (<it>P </it>> 0.05) from pre-weaning baseline. On d 2, the increase in concentration of globulin was greater (<it>P </it>< 0.05) in CS compared with NCS, and subsequently there was no difference between treatments. Pre-weaning ADG was 1.07 (s.e.m.) (0.26) kg and 0.99 (s.e.m.) (0.26) kg for CS and NCS, respectively. Post-weaning, CS calves spent more time lying compared with NCS calves.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Calves supplemented with concentrate prior to weaning had a lesser reduction in WC1⁺lymphocytes, increased percentage CD4⁺lymphocytes and concentration of total protein, and spent more time lying post-weaning, compared with non-supplemented calves.</p

Opportunistic screening for alcohol use problems in adolescents attending emergency departments: an evaluation of screening tools

Objective To estimate and compare the optimal cut-off score of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and AUDIT-C in identifying at-risk alcohol consumption, heavy episodic alcohol use, ICD-10 alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence in adolescents attending ED in England. Design Opportunistic cross-sectional survey. Setting 10 emergency departments across England. Participants Adolescents (n = 5377) aged between their 10th and 18th birthday who attended emergency departments between December 2012 and May 2013. Measures Scores on the AUDIT and AUDIT-C. At-risk alcohol consumption and monthly episodic alcohol consumption in the past 3 months were derived using the time-line follow back method. Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence was assessed in accordance with ICD-10 criteria using the MINI-KID. Findings AUDIT-C with a score of 3 was more effective for at-risk alcohol use (AUC 0.81; sensitivity 87%, specificity 97%), heavy episodic use (0.84; 76%, 98%) and alcohol abuse (0.98; 91%, 90%). AUDIT with a score of 7 was more effective in identifying alcohol dependence (0.92; 96%, 94%). Conclusions The 3-item AUDIT-C is more effective than AUDIT in screening adolescents for at-risk alcohol use, heavy episodic alcohol use and alcohol abuse. AUDIT is more effective than AUDIT-C for the identification of alcohol dependence

Effect of post-weaning management practices on physiological and immunological responses of weaned beef calves

peer-reviewedThe objectives were: i) to investigate the physiological and immunological responses of previously grazed, abruptly weaned beef calves that were then either housed (H) and offered a diet of grass silage ad libitum plus concentrate or returned to familiar pasture (P) (Phase I), and ii) to examine the effect of subsequent housing (35 days post-weaning) on these responses in P calves compared with the H calves, which were acclimated to housing (Phase II). Rectal temperature was recorded and jugular blood was collected on days 0 (weaning), 2, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 (Phase I) and on days 0 (housing of P), 2, 7, 14, and 21 (Phase II). There was a treatment × sampling time interaction (P<0.05) for rectal temperature, fibrinogen concentration, total leukocyte and lymphocyte number, and phytohaemagglutinin-induced interferon-γ production during Phase I, with H calves having higher (P<0.05) rectal temperature and fibrinogen concentrations on day 7, lower total leukocyte and lymphocyte number on days 7 to 35 and days 2 to 28, respectively, and reduced interferon-γ production on day 7 compared with P calves. Neutrophilia (P<0.05) was present in P calves on days 2 and 7 post-weaning. In Phase II, total leukocyte and neutrophil numbers increased (P<0.05), whereas lymphocyte number declined on day 2 relative to values on day 0 of Phase II. In conclusion, deferring housing at the time of weaning resulted in a less marked stress response in beef calves compared with the traditional combined practice of weaning and simultaneous housing, however these changes were minimal suggesting that the overall health and welfare of beef calves was not compromised by abrupt weaning and simultaneous housing.Teagasc Walsh Fellowship; John Hume Scholarship (E.M. Lynch

Effect of pre-weaning concentrate supplementation on peripheral distribution of leukocytes, functional activity of neutrophils, acute phase protein and behavioural responses of abruptly weaned and housed beef calves

Background: The effect of pre-weaning concentrate supplementation on peripheral distribution of leukocytes, functional activity of neutrophils, acute phase protein response, metabolic and behavioural response, and performance of abruptly weaned and housed beef calves was investigated. Calves were grazed with their dams until the end of the grazing season when they were weaned and housed (day (d) 0) in a concrete slatted floor shed, and offered grass silage ad libitum plus supplementary concentrates. Twenty-six days prior to weaning and housing, 20 singled suckled, pure-bred Simmental male (non-castrated), (n = 10, m) and female (n = 10, f) calves were assigned to one of two treatments (i) concentrate supplement (CS: n = 10 (5 m and 5 f), mean age (s.d.) 201 (12.8) d, mean weight (s.d.) 258 (20.2) kg) or (ii) no concentrate supplement (controls) (NCS: n = 10, (5 m and 5 f), mean age (s.d.) 201 (13.4) d, mean weight (s.d.) 257 (19.6) kg) pre-weaning. Results: There was a treatment × sampling time interaction (P < 0.05) for percentage CD4+ and WC1+ (gδ T cells) lymphocytes and concentration of plasma globulin. On d 2, percentage CD4+ lymphocytes decreased (P < 0.001) in both treatments. Subsequently on d 7, percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes increased (P < 0.01) in CS compared with d 0, whereas percentage of CD4+ lymphocytes in NCS did not differ (P > 0.05) from d 0. On d 2, WC1+ lymphocytes decreased (P < 0.05) in both treatments but the decrease was greater (P <0.05) in NCS than CS. Subsequently, percentages did not differ (P > 0.05) from pre-weaning baseline. On d 2, the increase in concentration of globulin was greater (P < 0.05) in CS compared with NCS, and subsequently there was no difference between treatments. Pre-weaning ADG was 1.07 (s.e.m.) (0.26) kg and 0.99 (s.e.m.) (0.26) kg for CS and NCS, respectively. Post-weaning, CS calves spent more time lying compared with NCS calves. Conclusions: Calves supplemented with concentrate prior to weaning had a lesser reduction in WC1+ lymphocytes, increased percentage CD4+ lymphocytes and concentration of total protein, and spent more time lying post-weaning, compared with non-supplemented calves