Adaptive physiological response to load time stress during transportation of cattle in Nigeria

The effect of local time stress on changes in rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rate (RR) heart rate (HR) and pulse rate (PR) were evaluated in mature White Fulani (WF) and Sokoto Gudali (SG) breeds of cattle in a 2x5 factorial experiment. A total of 24 bulls (12 of each breed) were subjected to loading, unloading and holding procedures. All adaptive physiological measurements in the experimental animals were taken before loading (pre-load) and immediately after loading (post-load). These variables were again recorded in holding lairage at 0, 6 and 12 hr after transportation to assess the time-cause of stress response. Respiratory, heart and pulse rates were higher (p<0.05) while rectal temperature was insignificantly higher (p>0.05) in Sokoto Gudali than in White Fulani bulls (104.03 vs. 100.63 beats min; 102.87 vs. 99.17 beats/min; 103.27 vs. 99.37 beats/min and 39.20 vs. 39.07ºC) when subjected to load time stress (procedures). All the variables measured showed distinct significant differences with the minimum measurement recorded at 12 hr holdtime period while the maximum values were attained at the post-load time period for RR, HR and PR and at un-load time period for the RT. The higher magnitude of increase in RR in the animals during the period of loading therefore suggests that these animals were more stressed at this period than at any other loadtime period. The interaction between breed and loadtime period indicates that the magnitude of increase in RR was higher (p<0.05) in White Fulani than in Sokoto Gudali cattle. The lower magnitude of increase in RR in the Sokoto Gudali cattle again suggests that this breed was less stressed than the White Fulani cattle during the strenuous loadtime stress since adverse effects of stress factors due to loading, unloading and holding of animals is inevitable during and after transportation of animals. It is therefore pertinent to minimize simultaneous actions of these stress factors in order to reduce economic losses and stress to animals due to loadtime stress.