title: Tail biting induces a strong acute phase response and tail-end inflammation in finishing pigs.
abstract: The extent of inflammation associated with tail biting in finishing pigs was evaluated. Tail histopathology, carcass condemnation and the concentration of three acute phase proteins (APPs), C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid-A (SAA) and haptoglobin (Hp), were examined in 12 tail-bitten and 13 control pigs. The median concentrations of APPs were higher (P<0.01) in bitten (CRP 617.5mg/L, range 80.5-969.9; SAA 128.0mg/L, 6.2-774.4; Hp 2.8g/L, 1.6-3.5) than in control pigs (CRP 65.7mg/L, 28.4-180.4; SAA 6.2mg/L, 6.2-21.4; Hp 1.2g/L, 0.9-1.5). There was a tendency for APP concentrations to rise with the histopathological score but the differences were only statistically significant between some of the scores. Five (42%) bitten cases and one (8%) control pig had partial carcass condemnations owing to abscesses (P=0.07). The results show that tail biting induces an inflammatory response in the tail end leading to an acute phase response and formation of carcass abscesses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Pikatie 800, 04920 Saarentaus, Finland. mari.heinonen@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heinonen
authors.forename: Toomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Orro
authors.forename: Teija
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokkonen
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munsterhjelm
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Peltoniemi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valros
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000662:veterinary*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013623:Tail / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein