Road transportation affects blood hormone levels and lymphocyte glucocorticoid and β-adrenergic receptor concentrations in calves

The effect of transportation on blood cortisol and catecholamine levels, lymphocyte glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) concentrations was investigated in calves. Blood samples were collected from 24 six-month-old calves before departure (T0), on arrival (T1), and at 24 h (T2) and one week (T3) after arrival. Animals were loaded and transported about 950 km, from the Midy-Pyrénes region (Cahors, France) to the Piedmont region (Italy), over a total of 14 h. Serum cortisol levels and plasma catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline) were determined by radioimmunoassay. Lymphocyte GRs and β-ARs were measured through binding assays. ificant (P<0.05) increase in cortisol and catecholamine concentrations was observed immediately after transport. The increase in hormone levels at time T1 was negatively correlated with lymphocyte GR and β-AR concentrations. At times T2 and T3, blood cortisol and catecholamine levels and lymphocyte GRs and β-ARs returned to normal. The results demonstrate the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the catecholaminergic system in long-term transported calves. However, these systems returned to normal within 24 h after the end of transport.