Randomized field trial on the effects of body weight and short transport on stress and immune variables in 2‐ to 4‐week‐old dairy calves

Abstract Background Whether underweight calves respond differently to transport stress, enhancing their disease risk, is currently unknown. Objective To determine the effects of low body weight and transport stress on immune variables. Animals Twenty‐one 2‐ to 4‐week‐old male Holstein calves, housed on a commercial farm. Methods Randomized clinical trial. Full factorial design with 4 treatment groups: low body weight (≤46 kg)/no transport (LOWCON); low body weight/transport (LOWTRANS); normal body weight (>46 kg)/no transport (NORMCON), and normal body weight/transport (NORMTRANS). Transport duration was 2 hours. Results Transport significantly increased serum cortisol concentration (77.8 μg/mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], 37.8‐131.6; P < .001), interleukin (IL)‐17A (344.9 pg/mL; 95% CI, 32.2‐556.5; P = .04), and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) (218.2 pg/mL; 95% CI, 32.5‐368.3; P = .03) production after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Body weight did not affect any of the studied variables. However, the interaction of transport and body weight was significant. LOWTRANS calves showed increased monocyte count (2.0 × 109/L; 95% CI, 0.6‐4.2; P < .05) and interleukin IL‐17A production (106.0 pg/mL; 95% CI, 4.2‐306.9; P = .03) compared to normal weight calves and increased TNF‐α production (275.6 pg/mL; 95% CI, 2.6‐463.0; P = .02) compared to LOWCON calves in unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after transport. Conclusion and Clinical Importance These findings contribute to our understanding of increased disease susceptibility of underweight calves when transported. Gamma globulin concentration was identified as important interfering factor in studies on immune variables in neonatal calves.

• Publication year

  2019

• Venue

  Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine

• Publication date

  2019-03-25

• Fields of study

  Agricultural and Food Sciences, Medicine

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.1111/jvim.15482PMID 30908777PMCID 6524119
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Appendix 1

  2019cited by this paper
• Randomized field trial on the effects of body weight and short transport on stress and immune variables in 2‐ to 4‐week‐old dairy calves

  2019cited by this paper
• Clinical and metabolic indicators associated with early mortality at a milk-fed veal facility: A prospective case-control study.

  2017cited by this paper
• Innovative look at dairy heifer rearing: Effect of prenatal and post‐natal environment on later performance

  2017cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoids enhance the in vivo migratory response of human monocytes.

  2016cited by this paper
• Impact of feeding and housing systems on disease incidence in dairy calves

  2016cited by this paper
• Effect of feeding whole compared with cell-free colostrum on calf immune status: The neonatal period.

  2015cited by this paper
• Cell type-specific differences in β-glucan recognition and signalling in porcine innate immune cells.

  2015cited by this paper
• Plane of nutrition influences the performance, innate leukocyte responses, and resistance to an oral Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium challenge in Jersey calves.

  2015cited by this paper
• Prediction of respiratory disease and diarrhea in veal calves based on immunoglobulin levels and the serostatus for respiratory pathogens measured at arrival

  2015cited by this paper
• Factors associated with morbidity, mortality, and growth of dairy heifer calves up to 3 months of age.

  2014cited by this paper
• IL-17A and Th17 Cells in Lung Inflammation: An Update on the Role of Th17 Cell Differentiation and IL-17R Signaling in Host Defense against Infection

  2013cited by this paper
• Plane of nutrition during the preweaning period but not the grower phase influences the neutrophil activity of Holstein calves.

  2013cited by this paper
• Stress-induced glucocorticoids as a neuroendocrine alarm signal of danger.

  2013cited by this paper
• Associations between the distance traveled from sale barns to commercial feedlots in the United States and overall performance, risk of respiratory disease, and cumulative mortality in feeder cattle during 1997 to 2009.

  2012cited by this paper
• The effect of transport by road and sea on physiology, immunity and behaviour of beef cattle.

  2012cited by this paper
• Prevalence of respiratory disorders in veal calves and potential risk factors.

  2012influential reference
• Longitudinal study on morbidity and mortality in white veal calves in Belgium

  2012cited by this paper
• Prospective study on quantitative and qualitative antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drug use in white veal calves.

  2012cited by this paper
• Effects of housing and short-term transportation on hormone and lymphocyte receptor concentrations in beef cattle.

  2011cited by this paper
• Innate immune responses of temperamental and calm cattle after transportation.

  2011cited by this paper
• Cortisol Exerts bi-phasic Regulation of Inflammation in Humans

  2011cited by this paper
• Interleukin‐17 and its target genes: mechanisms of interleukin‐17 function in disease

  2010cited by this paper
• Effect of road transport for up to 24 hours followed by twenty-four hour recovery on live weight and physiological responses of bulls

  2010cited by this paper
• Prior exposure to glucocorticoids sensitizes the neuroinflammatory and peripheral inflammatory responses to E. coli lipopolysaccharide.

  2010cited by this paper
• The effect of beta-glucans on porcine leukocytes.

  2010cited by this paper
• Innate IL-17-producing cells: the sentinels of the immune system

  2010cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoids can arm macrophages for innate immune battle.

  2010cited by this paper
• Road transportation stress promptly increases bovine peripheral blood absolute NK cell counts and cortisol levels.

  2010cited by this paper
• Genetic parameters for calving ease, gestation length, and birth weight in Charolais cattle.

  2009cited by this paper
• Interleukin-17 and type 17 helper T cells.

  2009cited by this paper
• Acute phase response in animals: a review.

  2009cited by this paper
• Effects of road transportation on lymphocyte subsets in calves.

  2008cited by this paper
• Transportation stress alters the circulating steroid environment and neutrophil gene expression in beef bulls.

  2008cited by this paper
• Colostrum Management for Dairy Calves

  2008cited by this paper
• Transfer of maternal colostral leukocytes promotes development of the neonatal immune system Part II. Effects on neonatal lymphocytes.

  2008cited by this paper
• Transportation of young beef bulls alters circulating physiological parameters that may be effective biomarkers of stress.

  2008cited by this paper
• Transfer of maternal colostral leukocytes promotes development of the neonatal immune system I. Effects on monocyte lineage cells.

  2008influential reference
• Neonatal Immune Development in the Calf and Its Impact on Vaccine Response

  2008cited by this paper
• An overview of IL-17 function and signaling.

  2008cited by this paper
• Transportation stress in young bulls alters expression of neutrophil genes important for the regulation of apoptosis, tissue remodeling, margination, and anti-bacterial function.

  2007cited by this paper
• Cytokines, Inflammation, and Pain

  2007cited by this paper
• Effect of 12-hour road transportation on physiological, immunological and haematological parameters in bulls housed at different space allowances.

  2007cited by this paper
• An inflammatory review of glucocorticoid actions in the CNS.

  2007cited by this paper
• Glucocorticoid Conditioning of Myeloid Progenitors Enhances TLR4 Signaling via Negative Regulation of the Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase-Akt Pathway1

  2007cited by this paper
• Lymphocyte subpopulations and neutrophil function in calves during the first 6 months of life.

  2006cited by this paper
• Effect of Corticosteroids and Neuropeptides on the Expression of Defensins in Bovine Tracheal Epithelial Cells

  2006cited by this paper
• Interleukin 17–producing CD4+ effector T cells develop via a lineage distinct from the T helper type 1 and 2 lineages

  2005cited by this paper
• Influence of truck-transportation on the function of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells in cattle.

  2005cited by this paper
• Gene expression signatures in neutrophils exposed to glucocorticoids: a new paradigm to help explain "neutrophil dysfunction" in parturient dairy cows.

  2005cited by this paper
• Road transportation affects blood hormone levels and lymphocyte glucocorticoid and beta-adrenergic receptor concentrations in calves.

  2004cited by this paper
• Composition and functional capacity of blood mononuclear leukocyte populations from neonatal calves on standard and intensified milk replacer diets.

  2003cited by this paper
• Effect of transportation and commingling on the acute-phase protein response, growth, and feed intake of newly weaned beef calves.

  2003cited by this paper
• Blood and milk neutrophil chemiluminescence and viability in primiparous and pluriparous dairy cows during late pregnancy, around parturition and early lactation.

  2002cited by this paper
• Effects of food withdrawal and transport on 5- to 10-day-old calves.

  2000cited by this paper
• How do glucocorticoids influence stress responses? Integrating permissive, suppressive, stimulatory, and preparative actions.

  2000cited by this paper
• The ups and downs of glucocorticoid physiology. Permissive and suppressive effects revisited.

  1992cited by this paper
• Diurnal pattern of plasma cortisol in preruminant calves fasted or fed different milk proteins.

  1989cited by this paper
• The effects of road transportation on peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, lymphocyte blastogenesis and neutrophil function in calves.

  1987cited by this paper
• The effect of road transportation on the blood constituents and behaviour of calves. II. One to three weeks old.

  1986cited by this paper
• Influence of truck transportation of calves on their cellular immune function.

  1985cited by this paper
• Whole blood leukocyte vs. separated mononuclear cell blastogenesis in calves: time-dependent changes after shipping.

  1981cited by this paper

• Impact of Long-distance Ship Transport on Physiological Parameters of Imported Sheep to Saudi Arabia

  2026cites this paper
• How many subjects are enough in a veterinary trial?-Literature review and insights from industrial statisticians.

  2025cites this paper
• Effects of pre- and post-transport feeding protocols on the metabolism and physiological status of veal calves.

  2025cites this paper
• Feeding on the move: assessing the effect of feeding during long-distance ferry transport on the physiology, clinical signs of disease and activity of unweaned calves.

  2025cites this paper
• Factors Influencing Post-Transport Behavior, Physiological Responses, and Meat Quality Traits of Japanese Black Cattle

  2025cites this paper
• Impact of stocking densities and road transport distances on meat quality and malondialdehyde levels in semitendinosus and infraspinatus muscles of Brahman crossbred heifers in a tropical climate

  2024cites this paper
• Effects of dietary rumen-protected glucose level and taurine supplementation on weight change and oxidative stress state of yaks after transport

  2024cites this paper
• Exploring the effects of transport duration on the fecal microbial communities of surplus dairy calves.

  2024cites this paper
• Abomasitis associated with halofuginone intoxication in pre-weaned calves

  2024cites this paper
• A randomized controlled trial investigating the effect of transport duration and age at transport on surplus dairy calves: Part I. Impact on health and growth.

  2023cites this paper
• Effect of source and journey on physiological variables in calves transported by road and ferry between Ireland and the Netherlands

  2023cites this paper
• Vaccination of calves at day of birth with attenuated vaccines against bovine respiratory syncytial virus, bovine parainfluenza type 3 virus and respiratory bovine coronavirus

  2023cites this paper
• Factors associated with body weight of young surplus dairy calves on arrival to a calf rearing facility.

  2022cites this paper
• Preparing Male Dairy Calves for the Veal and Dairy Beef Industry.

  2022cites this paper
• Male dairy calf welfare: A Canadian perspective on challenges and potential solutions.

  2022cites this paper
• Welfare of cattle during transport

  2022cites this paper
• Differences in the association of cough and other clinical signs with ultrasonographic lung consolidation in dairy, veal, and beef calves.

  2022cites this paper
• The Effect of Contract-Rearing on the Health Status of Replacement Dairy Heifers

  2021cites this paper
• Effect of aerosolized bacterial lysate on development of naturally occurring respiratory disease in beef calves.

  2021cites this paper
• Effects of pre-transport diet, transport duration and transport condition on immune cell subsets, haptoglobin, cortisol and bilirubin in young veal calves

  2021cites this paper
• Factors affecting dairy calf price in auction markets of Québec, Canada: 2008-2019.

  2021cites this paper
• Invited review: The welfare of young calves transported by road.

  2021cites this paper
• Calf and dam characteristics and calf transport age affect immunoglobulin titers and hematological parameters of veal calves.

  2021cites this paper
• Characterizing the literature surrounding transportation of young dairy calves: A scoping review.

  2021cites this paper
• Effects of the novel concept 'outdoor veal calf' on antimicrobial use, mortality and weight gain in Switzerland.

  2020cites this paper
• Arrival cortisol measurement in veal calves and its association with body weight, protein fractions, animal health and performance.

  2020cites this paper
• Short communication: Associations of serum biomarkers of stress and inflammation measured at arrival with health, mortality, and growth of calves transported within the first 4 days of life.

  2020cites this paper
• Administering an Appeasing Substance to Gir × Holstein Female Dairy Calves on Pre-Weaning Performance and Disease Incidence

  2020cites this paper
• Effects of the Administration of a Non-specific Immune Stimulant Around Transportation on Health and Performance of Jersey and Jersey-Cross Heifer Calves During the Rearing Period: Randomized Clinical Trial

  2020cites this paper
• Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on immune, health and growth variables in veal calves.

  2020cites this paper
• Effects of glycerol-esters of saturated short- and medium chain fatty acids on immune, health and growth variables in veal calves.

  2020cites this paper
• Risk factors identified on arrival associated with morbidity and mortality at a grain-fed veal facility: A prospective single cohort study.

  2019cites this paper
• Validation of serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity and body weight information for identifying dairy calves that are too young to be transported to auction markets in Canada.

  2019cites this paper
• Short communication: Risk factors identified at arrival associated with average daily gain at a grain-fed veal facility: A prospective single cohort study.

  2019cites this paper
• Randomized field trial on the effects of body weight and short transport on stress and immune variables in 2‐ to 4‐week‐old dairy calves

  2019cites this paper