Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2xdlg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T22:08:34.208Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites as a non-invasive tool for monitoring adrenocortical activity in South American camelids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

N Arias ,
M Requena  and
R Palme
N Arias*
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences/Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria Facultad de Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Av Honorio Delgado 430, Lima 31, Perú
M Requena
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria (INIA), Estación Experimental Agraria Santa Ana, Hualahoyo Km 8, Huancayo, Perú
R Palme
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences/Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: nino.arias@upch.pe
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The welfare and productivity of South American camelids may be affected by stressful events. The purpose of this study was to validate a non-invasive method for stress monitoring using faecal samples and to apply it to evaluate a stressful event, such as confinement. For physiological validation, nine alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and six llamas (Lama glama) were subjected to pharmacological stimulation of their adrenal cortex. Serial faecal samples were collected during 48 h before and after stimulation. During confinement, faecal samples from six llamas were collected twice per day during six consecutive days. Faeces belonging to 18 vicuñas (Vicugna vicugna) were collected before and one day after their capture for confinement (Chacu). Faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM) were extracted from each sample and quantified by an 11-oxoaetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay. Thirty-three and 28 h (median) after ACTH stimulation, FCM concentrations peaked with a ten- and eight-fold increase (median) above baseline in alpacas and llamas, respectively. There were no significant differences in FCM concentrations between sexes. In llamas, FCM concentrations peaked (4.7 times higher than baseline) after five days of confinement in females and after three days (2.7 times) in males. In vicuñas, three times higher FCM levels were observed the day after the start of confinement (in comparison to the starting values). Based on our findings, this non-invasive method is well suited to measure adrenocortical activity in alpacas, llamas and vicuñas. Thus, this method could help to improve management, handling and welfare in wild and domesticated South American camelids.

Keywords

animal welfarefaecesglucocorticoidsNew World camelidsplasmastress
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 22 , Issue 1: Including selected abstracts from the WSPA/Defra Whale Welfare and Ethics Workshop, March 2011 , February 2013 , pp. 25 - 31
Copyright
© 2013 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, DE, Grubb, T and Silveira, F 1999a The effect of short duration transportation on serum Cortisol in alpacas (Lama pacos). The Veterinary Journal 157: 189–191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/tvjl.1998.0270CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, DE, Silveira, F and Grubb, T 1999b Effects of venipuncture and correlation of plasma, serum and saliva cortisol concentration with transportation stress in camelids. Journal of Camel Practice and Research 6: 249–254Google Scholar
Arzamendia, Y, Bonacic, C and Vilá, B 2010 Behavioural and physiological consequences of capture for shearing of vicuñas in Argentina. Animal Reproduction Science 125: 163–170Google Scholar
Bonacic, C and Macdonald, D 2003a The physiological impact of wool-harvesting procedures in vicunas (Vicugna vicugna). Animal Welfare 12: 387–402Google Scholar
Bonacic, C, Macdonald, D and Villouta, G 2003b Adrenocorticotrophin-induced stress response in captive vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) in the Andes of Chile. Animal Welfare 12: 369–385Google Scholar
Bravo, PW, Garnica, J and Aviles, E 2001 Cortisol concentrations in the perinatal and weaning periods of alpacas. Animal Reproduction Science 67: 125–129. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4320(01)00112-9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carmanchahi, PD, Ovejero, R, Marull, C, López, CG, Schroeder, N, Jahn, GA, Novaro, AJ and Somoza, GM 2011 Physiological response of wild guanacos to capture for live shearing. Wildlife Research 38: 61–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WR10170CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fernández-Baca, S 1993 Manipulation of reproductive functions in male and female New World camelids. Animal Reproduction Science 33: 307–323. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-4320(93)90121-7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frigerio, D, Dittami, J, Möstl, E and Kotrschal, K 2004 Excreted corticosterone metabolites co-vary with air temperature and air pressure in male Greylag geese (Anser anser). General and Comparative Endocrinology 137: 29–36. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2004.02.013CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hewson, J and Cebra, CK 2001 Peritonitis in a llama caused by Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus. Canadian Veterinary Journal 42: 465–467Google Scholar
Huber, S, Palme, R, Zenker, W and Möstl, E 2003 Non-invasive monitoring of the adrenocortical response in red deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 67: 258–266. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3802767CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kleinsasser, C, Graml, C, Klobetz-Rassam, E, Barth, K, Waiblinger, S and Palme, R 2010 Physiological validation of a non-invasive method for measuring adrenocortical activity in goats. Wiener Tierärztliche Monatsschrift 97: 259–262Google Scholar
Knight, TW, Ridland, M, Scott, I, Death, AF and Wyeth, TK 1995 Foetal mortality at different stages of gestation in alpacas (Lama pacos) and the associated changes in progesterone concentrations. Animal Reproduction Science 40: 89–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-4320(95)01415-VCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Konjević, D, Janicki, Z, Slavica, A, Severin, K, Krapinec, K, Božić, F and Palme, R 2011 Non-invasive monitoring of adrenocortical activity in free-ranging fallow deer (Dama dama L). European Journal of Wildlife Research 57: 77–81. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-010-0401-1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lexen, E, El-Bahr, SM, Sommerfeld-Stur, I, Palme, R and Möstl, E 2008 Monitoring the adrenocortical response to disturbances in sheep by measuring glucocorticoid metabolites in the faeces. Wiener Tierärztliche Monatsschrift 95: 64–71Google Scholar
Möstl, E, Maggs, JL, Schrötter, G, Besenfelder, U and Palme, R 2002 Measurement of cortisol metabolites in faeces of ruminants. Veterinary Research Communications 26: 127–139. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1014095618125CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Möstl, E, Messmann, S, Bagu, E, Robia, C and Palme, R 1999 Measurement of glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in faeces of domestic livestock. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series A46: 621–632Google Scholar
Möstl, E and Palme, R 2002 Hormones as indicators of stress. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 23: 67–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0739-7240(02)00146-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palme, R 2005 Measuring fecal steroids: guidelines for practical application. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1046: 75–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1343.007CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palme, R 2012 Monitoring stress hormone metabolites as a useful, non-invasive tool for welfare assessment in farm animals. Animal Welfare 21: 331–337. http://dx.doi.org/10.7120/09627286.21.3.331CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palme, R, Fischer, P, Schildorfer, H and Ismail, MN 1996 Excretion of infused 14C-steroid hormones via faeces and urine in domestic livestock. Animal Reproduction Science 43: 43–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-4320(95)01458-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palme, R and Möstl, E 1997 Measurement of cortisol metabolites in faeces of sheep as a parameter of cortisol concentration in blood. International Journal of Mammalian Biology 62(2): 192–197Google Scholar
Palme, R, Rettenbacher, S, Touma, C, El-Bahr, SM and Möstl, E 2005 Stress hormones in mammals and birds: comparative aspects regarding metabolism, excretion and non-invasive measurement in fecal samples. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1040: 162–171. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1327.021CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Palme, R, Robia, C, Messmann, S, Hofer, J and Möstl, E 1999 Measurement of faecal cortisol metabolites in ruminants: a noninvasive parameter of adrenocortical function. Wiener Tierärztliche Monatsschrift 86: 237–241Google Scholar
Pesenhofer, G, Palme, R, Pesenhofer, RM and Kofler, J 2006 Comparison of two methods of fixation during functional claw trimming — walk-in crush versus tilt table — in dairy cows using faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations and daily milk yield as parameters. Wiener Tierärztliche Monatsschrift 93: 288–294Google Scholar
Rouha-Mülleder, C, Palme, R and Waiblinger, S 2010 Assessment of animal welfare in 80 dairy cow herds in cubicle housing — animal health and other animal-related parameters. Wiener Tierärztliche Monatsschrift 97: 231–241Google Scholar
Sahley, CT, Torres Vargas, J and Sanchez Valdivia, J 2006 Biological sustainability of live shearing of vicuña in Peru. Conservation Biology 21: 98–105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2006.00558.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sponheimer, M, Robinson, T, Roeder, B, Hammerc, J, Ayliffe, L, Passey, B, Cerling, T, Dearing, D and Ehleringer, J 2003 Digestion and passage rates of grass hays by llamas, alpacas, goats, rabbits, and horses. Small Ruminant Research 48: 149–154. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0921-4488(03)00002-6CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Touma, C and Palme, R 2005 Measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in mammals and birds: the importance of validation. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1046: 54–74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1196/annals.1343.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Touma, C, Möstl, E, Sachser, N and Palme, R 2003 Effect of sex and time of day on metabolism and excretion of corticosterone in urine and feces of mice. General and Comparative Endocrinology 130: 267–278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0016-6480(02)00620-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Turner, AI, Canny, BJ, Hobbs, RJ, Bond, JD, Clarke, IJ and Tilbrook, AJ 2002 Influence of sex and gonadal status of sheep on cortisol secretion in response to ACTH and on cortisol and LH secretion in response to stress: importance of different stressors. Journal of Endocrinology 173: 113–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1730113CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vaughan, JL and Tibary, A 2006 Reproduction in female South American camelids: a review and clinical observations. Small Ruminant Research 61: 259–281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2005.07.015CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Winter, J, Bokkenheuser, VD and Ponticorvo, L 1979 Bacterial metabolism of corticoids with particular reference to the 21-dehydroxylation. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 254: 2626–2629CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zapata, B, Gimpel, J, Bonacic, C, González, BA, Riveros, JL, Ramirez, AM, Bas, F and Macdonald, DW 2004 The effect of transport on cortisol, glucose, heart rate, leukocytes and body weight in captive-reared guanacos (Lama guanicoe). Animal Welfare 13: 439–444Google Scholar