title: Administration of dexamethasone  per  os in finishing bulls. II. Effects on blood parameters used as indicators of animal welfare.
abstract: A set of hormonal, haematological and biochemical parameters was used to evaluate the physiological response and welfare status of 14 finishing Marchigiana bulls treated for 49 days with a low daily dosage (0.75 mg/head per day) of dexamethasone per os. Compared to the Control group, dexamethasone decreased cortisol concentrations (42.3 v. 5.7 nmol/l; s.e.d. = 4.17; P < 0.001), and led to the reversal of the leukocyte formula in the animals treated (P < 0.05). Total serum proteins (70.2 v. 73.9 g/l; s.e.d. = 1.55; P < 0.05), in particular β1 globulins (7.5 v. 9.1 g/l; s.e.d. = 0.24; P < 0.01) and fibrinogen (199 v. 258 mg/dl; s.e.d. = 32.70; P < 0.05), increased as a consequence of treatment. Prolonged dexamethasone administration led the bulls to an apparently chronic stress condition. Moreover, the study indicated various blood parameters that might be used by health officials as effective tools in identifying beef cattle suspected of being illegally treated with dexamethasone.
authors.affiliation: 1Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pozza
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gottardo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moro
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cozzi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brscic
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andrighetto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ravarotto