title: Hair cortisol determination in sows in two consecutive reproductive cycles.
abstract: Hair analysis has been proposed as a minimally invasive technique capable of furnishing information regarding the stress response during medium- and long-term periods. Bristle samples were collected from the rump region of sows at three key physiological phases (before delivery - BD; weaning time - WT; pregnancy diagnosis - PD) during consecutive reproductive cycles in order to test swine hair as a reliable matrix of cortisol evaluation. Cortisol was extracted from the bristles and assayed using radioimmunoassay. The highest mean hair cortisol concentrations were demonstrated (p<0.001) at the PD time points (20.1±.95 and 16.29±2.15 pg/mg). Moreover, cortisol was significantly higher (p<0.001) at BD2 (10.48±0.96 pg/mg) as compared to BD1 (5.17±0.51 pg/mg) and WT1 (6.01±0.47 pg/mg). The various physiological phases had a significant effect on cortisol concentration (p<0.00001) with a higher cortisol concentration found during late pregnancy and lactation than in early-mid pregnancy. This could be due not only to the physiological hormonal status, but also to the different housing conditions (single crates vs. group housing). The season of the year was also observed to have an effect (p<0.005), with the lowest cortisol concentration recorded during the hot season.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: marialaura.bacci@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Maria Laura
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bacci
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nannoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Govoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scorrano
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zannoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Martelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, DIMEVET, University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, 40064 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sardi
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007315:Insemination, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000662:veterinary*; D007558:Italy; D007774:Lactation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011863:Radioimmunoassay / Q000662:veterinary; D011897:Random Allocation; D012621:Seasons; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000502:physiology*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Chronic stress; Cortisol; Hair; Reproduction; Swine