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1.
Cortisol, DHEA, and Sexual Steroid Concentrations in Fattening Pigs’ Hair
Cristina Bergamin, Antonella Comin, Mirco Corazzin, Massimo Faustini, Tanja Peric, Annalisa Scollo, Flaviana Gottardo, M. Montillo, Alberto Prandi, 2019, original scientific article

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the feasibility and reliability of using hair as a matrix to determine the dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and sexual steroid concentrations and the cortisol/DHEA ratio in fattening pigs. The results could be also used to plan future research to identify threshold values in order to set up strategies to control the allostatic load and increase the resilience of fattening pigs before slaughter. The study was conducted on 107 commercial crossbred rearing pigs. The hair samples were taken by shaving at the age of 36 weeks, and concentrations of the hormones were measured using a solid-phase microtiter radioimmunoassay. Females had significantly higher cortisol levels (p < 0.01), significantly lower DHEA concentrations (p < 0.05) and significantly higher cortisol/DHEA ratios (p < 0.01) than barrows. Progesterone was significantly higher in gilts than in barrows (p < 0.01). Testosterone and 17β-estradiol were significantly higher in barrows than in gilts (p < 0.05). If future research can produce threshold values for the different markers examined, the evaluation of animals under subclinical stress conditions will be possible.
Keywords: fattening pigs, hair, steroid hormones, allostatic load
Published in RUNG: 12.06.2019; Views: 4556; Downloads: 0
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2.
A first survey on hair cortisol of an Alpine ibex (Capra ibex ibex) population.
Tanja Peric, Alberto Prandi, Mirco Corazzin, Antonella Comin, Monica Colitti, 2018, original scientific article

Abstract: Biometric measurements of horn, body and physiological variables of 35 Alpine ibex, Capra ibex ibex, (14 females and 21 males, age range: 2-15 years) were analysed in relation to gender and area of origin. Moreover, for the first time hair cortisol concentration was evaluated in this species. The ibexes were live-captured in spring in the Maritime Alps Natural Park. All the horn and body morphometric measurements were significantly different between genders and a statistical difference was found between horn and body data considering the area of origin of ibexes, with the exception of horn circumference and height as well of body and hock length. Among the physiological variables, female ibex showed higher heart rate and glycemia, but tended to have lower respiratory rate than male. The mean hair cortisol concentration was 22.40±1.44 pg/mg (±SE). A different distribution was described for the male hair cortisol concentrations compared to that in females. Obtained data indicate that the geographical area where Alpine ibex lives could affect the endurance of an ibex population but further investigations are needed to understand if intra- and inter-specific competition and different environment could be the basis of the HPA axis activation. Hair cortisol evaluation together with biometric values could be an interesting way to obtain information on the adaptation that the animal attempts to reach in relation to environmental factors and pursuing organism homeostasis. This feature could be important in attempting to preserve wildlife biodiversity that also depends from the state of animal welfare.
Keywords: allostatic load, Alps, ibex, biometry, hair cortisol
Published in RUNG: 06.03.2018; Views: 5343; Downloads: 0
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3.
Hair cortisol concentrations in New Zealand white rabbits subjected to surgery
Tanja Peric, Antonella Comin, Mirco Corazzin, Marta Montillo, Federico Canavese, Marco Stebel, Alberto Prandi, 2018, original scientific article

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess hair cortisol concentrations in New Zealand white rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that were subjected to relocation and surgery to evaluate HPA-axis activity; in addition, we used this marker of cortisol secretion to evaluate the allostatic load of animals undergoing surgery. After a period of acclimatisation, which lasted 40 days from their arrival at the enclosure, 19 rabbits were subjected to T1–T12 dorsal arthrodesis (RS), 19 were sham-operated (SS), and 19 were non-operated (CON). Hair samples were collected at the time of arrival (ST1) at the animal facility, and seven other sets of hair samples were collected at 40-day intervals from the same area of skin for a period of 240 days as re-shaved hair (anagen phase): immediately before surgery (ST2) and after the surgery (ST3, ST4, ST5, ST6, ST7, and ST8). The transition from the rabbitry to the animal breeding facility led to a significant increase in cortisol concentration (ST2) in all of the groups. At ST3, the RS group presented higher cortisol concentrations than those of the SS group and the CON group. At ST4, the experimental groups showed similar values that remained constant until ST8. The results show that the management of rabbits undergoing surgery should be evaluated very carefully, and hair cortisol concentrations may provide a means of avoiding the dangerous cumulative effects of additional stressors close to surgery.
Keywords: animal welfare, cortisol, hair, HPA axis, rabbit, surgery
Published in RUNG: 09.02.2018; Views: 4876; Downloads: 0
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4.
Cortisol and DHEA concentrations in the hair of dairy cows managed indoor or on pasture
Tanja Peric, Mirco Corazzin, Alberto Romanzin, Stefano Bovolenta, Alberto Prandi, M. Montillo, Antonella Comin, 2017, original scientific article

Abstract: This study was conducted in order to assess the changes of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentrations in hair of Italian Simmental dairy cows managed indoor in tie-stall barns or grazing on high mountain pasture. In experiment I, animals were kept in tie-stalls throughout the year (n = 27). In experiment II, animals remained on mountain pastures during summer (from 20th June to 20th September) and then kept indoors in tie-stalls for the rest of the year (n = 18). At the end of July, following vertical transhumance, dairy cows were moved to a pasture located at a higher altitude. In the two studies, hair samples, obtained using clippers from the animal's forehead, were collected on the 20th June (P1), 20th July (P2), 20th August (P3), 20th September (P4) and 20th October (P5) and analysed for cortisol and DHEA. In experiment I, DHEA concentration was unaffected by sampling time (P > 0.05), whereas, cortisol/DHEA ratio was similar between P1 and P2 (P > 0.05) and then increased during the experimental period reaching the highest value at P5 (P < 0.05). In experiment II, dairy cows had higher concentration of DHEA during grazing compared to cows kept indoors (P < 0.05), conversely cortisol/DHEA ratio decreased from P1 to P2 (P < 0.05), remained constant from P2 to P3 (P > 0.05) and then increased from P3 to P4 (P < 0.05), the highest value was recorded at P5. In conclusion, cortisol and DHEA concentrations and their ratio measured in the hair of dairy cows can be useful to evaluate the allostatic load in animals managed indoor in tie-stall barn or grazing on mountain pasture.
Keywords: Dairy cow, Mountain pasture, Hair, Cortisol, DHEA
Published in RUNG: 28.05.2017; Views: 5530; Downloads: 0
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5.
Hair cortisol and testosterone concentrations and semen production of Bos taurus bulls
Giuseppe Stradaioli, Tanja Peric, Marta Montillo, Antonella Comin, Mirco Corazzin, Maria Cristina Veronesi, Alberto Prandi, 2017, original scientific article

Abstract: The experiment was aimed to evaluate the usefulness of hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) in revealing the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis due to the passage of young bulls from genetic rearing stations to artificial insemination (AI) centre and the influence of this passage on hair testosterone concentrations (HTC). Hair samples on 33 yearling bulls were collected at the time of arrival (ST1) to the AI centre and 3 more hair samples (ST2, ST3, ST4) were collected at monthly intervals. After the end of quarantine each animal was submitted to the standard procedures for collection and production of semen. Overall HCC were significantly affected by period of collection (p<.01). In particular, HCC was higher in samples obtained after finishing the quarantine period (ST2) compared with those obtained on ST1. After ST2, the HCC decreased reaching at ST4 a value similar to that recorded at ST1. An effect of sampling time on HTC was not found (p>.05). The effect of breed was observed only for HTC that was higher in PRI than BS (p<.01). The HCC group have not influenced the semen variables (p>.05). On the contrary, the effect of breed was evident. The results of this study replicated the effects of a major environmental stressor on mean cortisol concentrations assessed in hair, and add to the growing body of evidence that HCC is an effective and simply collected marker for long-term activity of the HPA system in response to persistent environmental challenge.
Keywords: Hair, bulls, cortisol, testosterone, semen
Published in RUNG: 20.03.2017; Views: 6417; Downloads: 0
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6.
EFFECT OF DIET ON HAIR CORTISOL AND DHEA CONCENTRATIONS IN MOUSE
Antonella Comin, Marta Montillo, Tanja Peric, Silvia Gazzin, Mirco Corazzin, Alberto Prandi, published scientific conference contribution abstract

Abstract: Obesity and MetS (Metabolic Syndrome) are both linked to persistent long-term hormonal and metabolic changes. In most of the studies, cortisol (C) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) concentrations have been measured in obese and normal-weight subjects, obtaining heterogeneous results. Plasma, saliva and urine, matrices that represent timepoint or short-term steroids exposure, were used for these studies. The aim was to study C, DHEA and C/DHEA ratio of mice pups in the hair, matrix capable of providing cumulative hormonal exposure. Sixty C57Bl/6 mice pups (30 males and 30 females) were housed in a temperature-controlled environment (22±2°C) and on a 12h light/dark schedule, under ad-libitum access to food and water for 16 weeks (welfare: Italian Law Decree 116-92 and EC Directive 86-609-EEC). Control and experimental diets were offered immediately after weaning (3 weeks old pups), for 16 weeks. Four experimental checkpoints were established (T1: 4 weeks, T2: 8 weeks, T3: 12 weeks and T4: 16 weeks of diet). T3 and T4 showed the hormonal concentrations of pubertal animals. Twentyseven pups (13 females and 14 males) were randomly group-housed in cages (6 for T1, 5 for T2, 6 for T3, 10 for T4) and assigned to control diet (CTRL: D12328, Research Diets, New Brunswick, NJ). 33 pups (17 females and 16 males) were randomly group-housed in cages (5 for T1, 6 for T2 and T3, 16 for T4) and assigned to the HFHC diet (HFHC: D12331, Research Diets, New Brunswick, NJ - plus 42g/L fructose/sucrose in drinking water). At each experimental checkpoint, all the animals of one cage for each experimental group were suppressed. Hair strands were carefully cut with scissors as close as possible to the skin from the back of the mice, paying attention to not to wound the animals. Hair was stored in an envelope at RT in a dry room until use. C and DHEA hair concentrations was measured by a solid-phase microtiter RIA assay (Peric et al., 2016 adapted in the mouse). Only at 8 weeks the HFHC group showed significantly higher C concentrations than the CTRL group (1.56±0.06 vs 1.92±0.130 pg/mg; P<0.05). DHEA concentrations were significantly reduced in the HFHC group than the CTRL group at 4 (114.64±13.93 vs 69.08±5.33 pg/mg; P<0.05), 8 (71.67±7.08 vs 50.38±4.74 pg/mg; P<0.05), 12 (73.27±8.29 vs 41.59±1.60 pg/mg; P<0.01) and 16 weeks (65.26±3.35 vs 55.05±1.84 pg/mg; P<0.05). The C/DHEA ratio was significantly increased in the HFHC than the CTRL group, at 8 (0.023±0.002 vs 0.040±0.005; P<0.01), 12 (0.024±0.003 vs 0.036±0.004; P<0.05) and 16 weeks (0.019±0.001 vs 0.025±0.002; P<0.01). The gender effect was not significant. Taking into account the lag time required for the hair emersion from the skin (about 1 week), the significant stimulation of the C at 8 weeks in the HFHC group refers to its chronic elevation from 5 to 7 weeks of treatment when the animals were not pubertal. Conversely, DHEA shows a chronic reduction in obese mice leading to consider an independent adrenal regulation of C and DHEA, both stimulated by ACTH. Research was supported by the Project CBM (MIUR DM60643). Peric et al. 2016 J Appl Anim Welf Sci 18:1-8.
Keywords: DIET, HAIR, CORTISOL, DHEA, MOUSE
Published in RUNG: 21.07.2016; Views: 5914; Downloads: 0
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7.
Relocation and Hair Cortisol Concentrations in New Zealand White Rabbits.
Tanja Peric, Antonella Comin, Mirco Corazzin, Marta Montillo, Federico Canavese, Marco Stebel, Alberto Prandi, 2016, original scientific article

Abstract: To investigate how long relocation modified hair cortisol concentrations in New Zealand white rabbits, 19 rabbits were subjected to a change in their breeding facility at the beginning of the trial and then were kept under stable environmental conditions. Hair samples were collected at the time of arrival to the nonhuman animal facility and at 40-day intervals from the same skin area for up to 440 days after the animals' arrival to the facility. A period effect on the hair cortisol concentration was found (p < .01). The transfer of the rabbits to the new facility might have induced an increase in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity (p < .01). A second increase in hair cortisol concentration (p < .01) occurred at 320 days, after a change of personnel at the facility that occurred at 280 days, which was the only environmental change. The relocation of rabbits to the facility resulted in a stress response leading to elevated cortisol levels. The effect of relocation on mean cortisol concentrations was exhausted within 120 days when all environmental factors were kept stable.
Keywords: Cortisol, HPA axis, hair, rabbit, relocation
Published in RUNG: 21.07.2016; Views: 5466; Downloads: 0

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