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Home / Equine Research Bank / PLoS One / Cortisol levels, heart rate, and autonomic responses in hors...
PloS one2024; 19(9); e0301885; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301885

Cortisol levels, heart rate, and autonomic responses in horses during repeated road transport with differently conditioned trucks in a tropical environment.

Abstract: Horse's stress responses have been reported during road transport in temperate but not tropical environments. Therefore, this study measured cortisol levels, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) in horses during medium-distance road transport with different truck conditions in a tropical environment. Six horses were repeatedly transported in either air-conditioned trucks with full (ATF) or space (ATS) loads or non-air-conditioned trucks with full (N-ATF) and space (N-ATS) loads. Blood cortisol was determined beforehand and 5, 30, and 90 minutes post-transport. HR and HRV were assessed pre-transport and at 15-minute intervals until 90 minutes post-transport. Cortisol levels increased significantly in N-ATS horses (but non-significantly in ATF, ATS, and N-ATF horses) at 5 minutes post-transport and returned to baseline by 30 minutes post-transport. Predominant parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity was observed during the first few hours and returned to baseline until the destination was reached. A recurrent, increased PNS activity was detected post-transport. Interaction effects of air condition-by-loading condition-by-time, air condition-by-time, and separate effects of air condition and time were observed on HR and various HRV variables during transport. A transient increase in beat-to-beat intervals, coinciding with decreased HR, was observed in ATF horses. The PNS index increased, corresponding to a decreased sympathetic nervous system index, in ATS horses during transport. We suggest that medium-distance road transport causes no stress for transport-experienced horses in a tropical environment. Air and loading conditions impacted hormonal and autonomic modulation, causing different responses in horses transported in differently conditioned trucks.
Copyright: © 2024 Lertratanachai et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2024-09-06 PubMed ID: 39241089PubMed Central: PMC11379227DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301885Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study examines the stress responses in horses during medium-distance transport in different truck conditions within a tropical environment. Outcomes indicated that transportation doesn’t cause stress in horses that are already familiar with the process, though the conditions of the truck, including air conditioning and cargo load, can significantly influence hormonal and autonomic responses.

Objective and Methodology

  • The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stress responses in horses in a tropical environment, focusing on heart rate and cortisol levels during transport in differently conditioned trucks.
  • There were four different transport conditions tested, with each group transported in an air conditioned truck with either full load or spacious load, or a non-air conditioned truck with a full load or spacious load.
  • Six horses were involved in the study, and each horse’s heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), and cortisol levels were measured before transport, during transport at 15-minute intervals, and after transport at 5, 30, and 90 minutes.

Findings

  • The outcome shows an increase in cortisol levels for horses transported in non-air conditioned trucks with spacious loads, 5 minutes after transportation. However, this stress hormone level returned to base level by 30 minutes post-transport.
  • In terms of heart rate and HRV, interaction effects of air-condition, load condition, and time were observed. Specifically, a significant decrease in heart rate coinciding with increased beat-to-beat intervals was observed in horses transported in air-conditioned trucks with a full load.
  • Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, which is associated with rest and digestion, was predominantly observed during the initial hours of transport and post-transport.

Conclusion

  • The study suggested that transporting horses that are already accustomed to the process does not lead to stress, even during medium-duration trips in a tropical environment.
  • However, modifying conditions inside the transport vehicles, such as providing air conditioning or changing cargo load, has an impact on the horses’ hormonal and autonomic systems and can cause different responses.
  • The researchers encourage further exploration in different transport conditions to provide better welfare practices for horses during transport.

Cite This Article

APA
Lertratanachai S, Poochipakorn C, Sanigavatee K, Huangsaksri O, Wonghanchao T, Charoenchanikran P, Lawsirirat C, Chanda M. (2024). Cortisol levels, heart rate, and autonomic responses in horses during repeated road transport with differently conditioned trucks in a tropical environment. PLoS One, 19(9), e0301885. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0301885

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 19
Issue: 9
Pages: e0301885
PII: e0301885

Researcher Affiliations

Lertratanachai, Siengsaw
  • Faculty of Sports Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Poochipakorn, Chanoknun
  • Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  • Thailand Equestrian Federation, Sports Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand.
Sanigavatee, Kanokpan
  • Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  • Thailand Equestrian Federation, Sports Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand.
Huangsaksri, Onjira
  • Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  • Thailand Equestrian Federation, Sports Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand.
Wonghanchao, Thita
  • Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  • Thailand Equestrian Federation, Sports Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand.
Charoenchanikran, Ponlakrit
  • 29th Cavalry Squadron Royal Horse Guard, King's Guard, 2nd Cavalry Brigade, Royal Thai Army, Bangkok, Thailand.
Lawsirirat, Chaipat
  • Faculty of Sports Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Chanda, Metha
  • Department of Large Animal and Wildlife Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  • Thailand Equestrian Federation, Sports Authority of Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / physiology
  • Heart Rate / physiology
  • Hydrocortisone / blood
  • Hydrocortisone / metabolism
  • Autonomic Nervous System / physiology
  • Transportation
  • Tropical Climate
  • Male
  • Stress, Physiological / physiology
  • Motor Vehicles
  • Female

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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