Source: TEXAS A&M UNIV submitted to
NUTRITIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS AND IMMUNE RESPONSE OF FEEDER CATTLE
 
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Chirase, N. K.
 
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
AMARILLO-TAMU AGR RES CENTER
TEXAS A&M UNIV
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843
 
NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD), also known as "shipping" fever is a major economic concern to the beef cattle industry with annual losses (death, reduced feed efficiency, medicine costs) of $600-700 million. The marketing and translocation of feeder cattle lead to nutritional stress which makes them susceptible to BRD. The role of micronutrients (trace minerals and vitamins) in reducing morbidity and mortality, and thereby improving productive efficiency and profitability of feeder cattle is being studied.
 
OBJECTIVES: 1) To investigate zinc, manganese, copper and selenium requirements during nutritional stress. 2) To investigate zinc, manganese, copper and selenium requirements during environmental (simulated feedlot dust) stress. 3) To investigate relationship of trace minerals (Zn, Cu, Mn, Se) and antioxidant vitamins (A, C and E) in the disease process of feeder cattle using biotic (infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus) and abiotic (transportation and simulated feedlot dust) stressors. 4) To investigate the mode of action of exogenous biological agents on the immune response of feeder cattle. 5) To investigate hormonal (insulin, glucagon, growth hormone and cortisol) activity during nutritional and environmental stress.
 
APPROACH: The overall experimental approach is four-fold: 1) to investigate and define Zn, Cu, Mn and Se source and requirements in combination with antioxidant vitamins (Vitamin A, C and E) in feeder steers, and to measure the productive efficiency of these cattle during the feeding period. 2) To relate immune response to feedlot performance, and carcass characteristics. 3) to investigate and define the effects of Zn, Cu, Mn, Se and antioxidant vitamins in a laboratory control virus model with or without abiotic stressors (e.g. simulated feedlot dust), and 4) to investigate and define the effects of Zn, Cu, Mn, Se and antioxidant vitamins on nutrient balance of feeder steers using a metabolism model. Total body immune response (rectal temperature, body weight, feed intake), virus titers and hormonal changes under stress will be measured during some of these studies. The field model used has been developed at the station and consists of gathering cattle from several sources and then shipping them 1,178 miles to our research facility. The second model utilizes cattle that have been at our facility for 28 to 56 days, have been exposed to a natural bovine respiratory disease (BRD) outbreak, but analytically do not have antibody to infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV). These cattle are challenged with IBRV, and rectal temperature, feed intake, and weight changes are measured. This model provides a unique method to determine biological activity of nutrients from the whole animal immunological system. The metabolism unit utilizes cattle for studies that require laboratory confinement conditions using small pens and galvanized metabolism stalls. These studies allow for basic kinetic studies of trace minerals and vitamins. The environmental component will be achieved by combining feedlot dust (with endotoxins) with the field, IBRV, and metabolism models reflecting the production conditions of beef cattle in the industry. These models have been validated in our laboratory for efficacy and usefulness for productive conditions. Dietary trace minerals sources and levels in combination with antioxidant vitamins will be fed and the cattle subjected to the various stressors. Animal performance, immune response factors (rectal temperatures, virus antibodies, morbidity scores, hormones, etc), serum total antioxidant capacity (serum vitamins A, E, C, and Se) and serum lipid peroxidation will be measured. Correlations of performance variables, immune response factors, total antioxidant capacity factors will be performed using the General Linear Models procedures of SAS (1988). This research will provide information for nutritional enhancement of the immune system of feeder cattle which encounter nutritional and environmental stressors. The overall goal will be to understand the role of nutritional and environmental stressors on the incidence and severity of bovine respiratory tract diseases, and to nutritionally fortify feeder cattle before or during exposure to these stressors. This could result in reduced drug use, improve efficiency of animal production, produce wholesome beef and maximize the profitability of the industry.
 
CRIS NUMBER: 0166144 SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJECT NUMBER: TEX08324 SPONSOR AGENCY: CSREES
PROJECT TYPE: HATCH PROJECT STATUS: TERMINATED MULTI-STATE PROJECT NUMBER: (N/A)
START DATE: Aug 6, 1999 TERMINATION DATE: Aug 5, 2004

GRANT PROGRAM: (N/A)
GRANT PROGRAM AREA: (N/A)

CLASSIFICATION
Knowledge Area (KA)Subject (S)Science (F)Objective (G)Percent
315331010104.250%
306331010102.250%

CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS
KA315 - Animal Welfare/Well-Being and Protection
KA306 - Environmental Stress in Animals
S3310 - Beef cattle, live animal
F1010 - Nutrition and metabolism
G4.2 - Reduce Number and Severity of Pest and Disease Outbreaks
G2.2 - Increase Efficiency of Production and Marketing Systems


RESEARCH EFFORT CATEGORIES
BASIC 50%
APPLIED 30%
DEVELOPMENTAL 20%

KEYWORDS: animal welfare; beef cattle; animal nutrition; nutritional stress; environmental stress; immune response; feeder cattle; oxidation; animal health; trace minerals; antioxidants; lipid peroxidation; anti microbial agents; animal performance; animal hormones; zinc; manganese; copper; selenium; nutrient requirements; bovine rhinotracheitis; mode of action

PROGRESS: Aug 6, 1999 TO Aug 5, 2004
Animals often encounter many stressors and pathogens associated with current production systems which could compromise the antioxidant and immune defense systems. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of pretransit dietary Se (6.1 mg/kg diet provided by high Se wheat grain) and daily alpha tocopherol acetate bolus (3.8 IU/kg BW) on pre- and post transit serum free retinol, alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol, Se concentrations, and partial antioxidant capacity of wether lambs. Also Se concentrations of specific tissues were determined. Twenty nine lambs (initial BW=27 kg) of similar type and origin were weaned, stratified by BW and assigned randomly to and fed one of the following treatments: Adequate Se (<0.3 mg/kg) and no tocopherol acetate bolus CON; n=9); high SE, no tocopherol bolus (HSE; n=9); adequate Se, tocopherol bolus (HVE; n=5); high Se, tocopherol bolus (SEVE; n=6). Diets for all treatments were of similar nutrient composition, isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Lambs were fed the diets for 20 days pretransit and fed a common diet for an additional 21 days post transit. Blood samples were taken on day 0, 7, 14 and 20 and the serum harvested was used for Se, vitamin A, alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol and partial antioxidant capacity. On day 21 lambs were transported 864 km by truck and a trailer for 12 hours after 24 hours of fasting. Sampling and analysis procedures were repeated every 7 days for 21 days post transit. Four wethers from the CON and HSE were withheld from the transit stress, euthanized on day 21 and blood, skeletal muscle and liver were collected. Likewise, at the end of the receiving period (day 42), all other wethers were euthanized and tissues collected. The data were analyzed by the mixed models procedures of SAS. Weaning stress (7 day post weaning) depressed (P<0.05) serum alpha tocopherol concentrations and partial antioxidant capacity of all treatment groups, except those fed SEVE. Lambs fed HVE and SEVE had 1.6 and 2.0 times greater (P < 0.01) serum alpha tocopherol concentrations than those fed Con or HSE pretransit, respectively but decreased (P < 0.05) postransit. Serum Se increased linearly pretransit and subsequently decreased postransit in HSE and SEVE fed groups. Pretransit dietary Se resulted in HSE having 66%, 80% and 42% higher (P < 0.001) Se concentration in muscle, liver and serum, respectively, during the receiving period. When fed alone, tocopherol had no effect (P > 0.05) on tissue Se concentration; however, in combination with high Se, tocopherol decreased (P < 0.03) Se concentrations in liver, but increased (P< 0.04) Se in the skeletal muscle. Both HSE and SEVE fed lambs had higher (P < 0.0001) concentrations of Se in liver, skeletal muscle, and serum than HVE and CON treated lambs. Weaning and transit stress altered serum antioxidant concentrations of lambs. Feeding high Se wheat resulted in higher Se tissue concentrations both pretransit and post-receiving. Alpha tocopherol acetate seemed to affect level of Se incorporated and (or) retained in liver and muscle tissue.

IMPACT: 1999-08-06 TO 2004-08-05 These data show the need for pretreatment with antioxidants to prevent stressors from shipping. Improving the antioxidant capacity of livestock before shipping will improve the antioxidant capacity post shipment and potentially improve health.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1999-08-06 TO 2004-08-05
Chirase, N. K., J. B. Taylor, T. Thelen and L. W. Greene. 2003. Effect of dietary organically bound selenium and alpha-tocopherol acetate bolus on serum antioxidants staus of transit stressed wether lambs. J. Anim. Sci. 81 (Suppl. 1):14.

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME: Chirase, N. K.
PHONE: 806-359-5401
FAX: 806-358-9718