1. Stress and inflammatory response of cows and their calves during peripartum and early neonatal period
- Author
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Arfuso, F., Minuti, Andrea, Liotta, L., Giannetto, C., Trevisi, Erminio, Piccione, G., Lopreiato, Vincenzo, Minuti A. (ORCID:0000-0002-0617-6571), Trevisi E. (ORCID:0000-0003-1644-1911), Lopreiato V. (ORCID:0000-0001-6965-7340), Arfuso, F., Minuti, Andrea, Liotta, L., Giannetto, C., Trevisi, Erminio, Piccione, G., Lopreiato, Vincenzo, Minuti A. (ORCID:0000-0002-0617-6571), Trevisi E. (ORCID:0000-0003-1644-1911), and Lopreiato V. (ORCID:0000-0001-6965-7340)
- Abstract
Stress, inflammatory response, and their relationship were investigated in Simmental cows during the transition period (N = 8; 5 multiparous and 3 primiparous) and in their calves (N = 8; 5 heifers and 3 bulls). From cows, blood was collected at days −21 (±4), 0, +1, +7, and +21 days relative to calving. From calves, blood was collected after birth before colostrum intake (0) and then at 1, 7, and 15 days of age. Cortisol, Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and haptoglobin concentration was assessed by ELISA technique; white blood cells (WBC) were assessed using an ADVIA 2120 Hematology System machine. One-way ANOVA showed an effect of time for all the investigated parameters (P < 0.001) except for lymphocytes in peripartal cows. At calving and 1 d after, cortisol concentration was negatively correlated with levels of IL-6, WBC, and monocytes, whereas levels of IL-6 were positively correlated with WBC, neutrophils, and monocytes count. Cortisol, IL-6, haptoglobin, WBC and all leukocyte populations were affected by the age of neonatal calves (P < 0.001) except for neutrophils. A negative correlation between cortisol and IL-6, neutrophils, monocytes and haptoglobin was found at 15 days of age. A positive correlation between IL-6 and haptoglobin at day 15 of age, and with neutrophils and monocytes at days 7 and 15 of age was found. A positive correlation was obtained between cortisol levels measured in cows around calving and those obtained in calves after birth before colostrum intake (r = 0.83), and between IL-6 concentrations obtained from cows at calving and 1 d after and those obtained in calves at day 1 of age, after the colostrum intake (r = 0.93 and 0.79, respectively). The study suggests that immune function of peripartal cows is in an active state and that, in addition to other well-known factors driving the changes of parameters herein investigated, cortisol could have a role in the immune-modulatory adjustment during peripartum in cows. Furthermore, it can be hypot
- Published
- 2023