Abstract
Weaning, particularly the widespread practice of abrupt separation of the mare and foal, has been shown to be a stressful event for horses. Physiological changes in foals measured after weaning include increased blood cortisol concentrations and a subsequent decrease in cell-mediated immune responses. In the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial reported here, we assessed the effect of an equine appeasing pheromone (EAP; Modipher EQ, E.A.P. Mist [Pherosynthese s.n.c., LeRieu Neuf, Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt, France]) as an aid for reducing the behavioral and physiological signs of stress during weaning. Fourteen quarter horse foals were separated from their dam (equid mother) between 105 and 146 days of age, in age-matched pairs, and placed in 3.66×3.66m stalls (one treated and one control foal in each stall). Treated foals received the synthetic analogue of the EAP by intranasal wipe 30 minutes before separation and twice daily thereafter for 48 hours. Control foals received placebo by intranasal wipe on the same schedule. The foals were continuously videotaped for 48 hours postweaning to monitor behavioral responses. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours pretreatment and 24 and 48 hours postweaning for evaluation of physiological indicators of stress (serum cortisol) and cytokines as stress-related and immune-mediated response parameters. Interestingly, although behavioral and serum cortisol measures were similar between groups, treatment with EAP had a significant (P<0.05) effect on interleukin 6 and transforming growth factor β, whereas monocyte opiate receptor 1 was significantly upregulated in both groups independent of treatment when compared with baseline values. Although the link between EAP treatment and activation of the measured cytokines remains unexplained, our findings suggest immune-related gene transcription focused on the acute causes of stress in a time frame shortly after weaning.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 265-277 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 2013 |
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Keywords
- Cytokines
- Foal
- Pheromone
- Serum cortisol
- Stress
- Weaning
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- veterinary(all)
Cite this
Behavioral and physiological responses of weaned foalstreated with equine appeasing pheromone : A double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. / Berger, Jeannine M.; Spier, Sharon; Davies, Rhiannon; Gardner, Ian; Leutenegger, Christian M.; Bain, Melissa.
In: Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, Vol. 8, No. 4, 07.2013, p. 265-277.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Behavioral and physiological responses of weaned foalstreated with equine appeasing pheromone
T2 - A double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized trial
AU - Berger, Jeannine M.
AU - Spier, Sharon
AU - Davies, Rhiannon
AU - Gardner, Ian
AU - Leutenegger, Christian M.
AU - Bain, Melissa
PY - 2013/7
Y1 - 2013/7
N2 - Weaning, particularly the widespread practice of abrupt separation of the mare and foal, has been shown to be a stressful event for horses. Physiological changes in foals measured after weaning include increased blood cortisol concentrations and a subsequent decrease in cell-mediated immune responses. In the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial reported here, we assessed the effect of an equine appeasing pheromone (EAP; Modipher EQ, E.A.P. Mist [Pherosynthese s.n.c., LeRieu Neuf, Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt, France]) as an aid for reducing the behavioral and physiological signs of stress during weaning. Fourteen quarter horse foals were separated from their dam (equid mother) between 105 and 146 days of age, in age-matched pairs, and placed in 3.66×3.66m stalls (one treated and one control foal in each stall). Treated foals received the synthetic analogue of the EAP by intranasal wipe 30 minutes before separation and twice daily thereafter for 48 hours. Control foals received placebo by intranasal wipe on the same schedule. The foals were continuously videotaped for 48 hours postweaning to monitor behavioral responses. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours pretreatment and 24 and 48 hours postweaning for evaluation of physiological indicators of stress (serum cortisol) and cytokines as stress-related and immune-mediated response parameters. Interestingly, although behavioral and serum cortisol measures were similar between groups, treatment with EAP had a significant (P<0.05) effect on interleukin 6 and transforming growth factor β, whereas monocyte opiate receptor 1 was significantly upregulated in both groups independent of treatment when compared with baseline values. Although the link between EAP treatment and activation of the measured cytokines remains unexplained, our findings suggest immune-related gene transcription focused on the acute causes of stress in a time frame shortly after weaning.
AB - Weaning, particularly the widespread practice of abrupt separation of the mare and foal, has been shown to be a stressful event for horses. Physiological changes in foals measured after weaning include increased blood cortisol concentrations and a subsequent decrease in cell-mediated immune responses. In the randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial reported here, we assessed the effect of an equine appeasing pheromone (EAP; Modipher EQ, E.A.P. Mist [Pherosynthese s.n.c., LeRieu Neuf, Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt, France]) as an aid for reducing the behavioral and physiological signs of stress during weaning. Fourteen quarter horse foals were separated from their dam (equid mother) between 105 and 146 days of age, in age-matched pairs, and placed in 3.66×3.66m stalls (one treated and one control foal in each stall). Treated foals received the synthetic analogue of the EAP by intranasal wipe 30 minutes before separation and twice daily thereafter for 48 hours. Control foals received placebo by intranasal wipe on the same schedule. The foals were continuously videotaped for 48 hours postweaning to monitor behavioral responses. Blood samples were drawn 24 hours pretreatment and 24 and 48 hours postweaning for evaluation of physiological indicators of stress (serum cortisol) and cytokines as stress-related and immune-mediated response parameters. Interestingly, although behavioral and serum cortisol measures were similar between groups, treatment with EAP had a significant (P<0.05) effect on interleukin 6 and transforming growth factor β, whereas monocyte opiate receptor 1 was significantly upregulated in both groups independent of treatment when compared with baseline values. Although the link between EAP treatment and activation of the measured cytokines remains unexplained, our findings suggest immune-related gene transcription focused on the acute causes of stress in a time frame shortly after weaning.
KW - Cytokines
KW - Foal
KW - Pheromone
KW - Serum cortisol
KW - Stress
KW - Weaning
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84879784859&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84879784859&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jveb.2012.09.003
DO - 10.1016/j.jveb.2012.09.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84879784859
VL - 8
SP - 265
EP - 277
JO - Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research
JF - Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research
SN - 1558-7878
IS - 4
ER -