Changes of plasma cortisol, glucose and nonesterified fatty acid concentration, total and differential leukocyte counts and phagocytic function of neutrophils in peripheral blood during short period after grouping unfamiliar piglets
1998
Deguchi, E. (Kagoshima Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture)
This study was undertaken to examine the activities of neuroendocrine system and the changes of number and function of leukocytes in peripheral blood in a short period after grouping unfamiliar piglets. At 34 d old, 12 piglets (4 littermates x 3 litter) were moved and placed to a new pen, and they were reared together for 3 d (grouped-piglets). The other 6 piglets of 1 litter were not moved and used as control piglets. Aggressive encounters among grouped-piglets were observed for 8 h after grouping. Plasma cortisol, glucose and nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations and total and differential leukocyte counts at 15 min before grouping (before) and at 45 and 180 min after grouping, and phagocytic function of neutrophils before and at 180 min after grouping were determined. In grouped-piglets, the concentrations of plasma cortisol, glucose and NEFA at 45 and 180 min after grouping were significantly higher than those before grouping and compared to those at the same times in control piglets, indicating that both hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex and sympathetic-adrenal medulla axes are activated in response to aggressive encounters after grouping unfamiliar piglets. In grouped-piglets, leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia and monocytepenia at 45 and 180 min after grouping, and decreases of phagocytic function of neutrophils were also seed after grouping
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