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Domestic animal endocrinology2010; 39(3); 205-213; doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2010.06.002

Cortisol release, heart rate, and heart rate variability in transport-naive horses during repeated road transport.

Abstract: Domestic animals are often repeatedly exposed to the same anthropogenic stressors. Based on cortisol secretion and heart rate, it has been demonstrated that transport is stressful for horses, but so far, changes in this stress response with repeated road transport have not been reported. We determined salivary cortisol concentrations, fecal cortisol metabolites, cardiac beat-to-beat (RR) interval, and heart rate variability (HRV) in transport-naive horses (N = 8) transported 4 times over a standardized course of 200 km. Immunoreactive salivary cortisol concentrations always increased in response to transport (P < 0.001), but cortisol release decreased stepwise with each transport (P < 0.05). Concentrations of fecal cortisol metabolites increased from 55.1 +/- 4.6 ng/g before the first transport to 161 +/- 17 ng/g the morning after (P < 0.001). Subsequent transport did not cause further increases in fecal cortisol metabolites. In response to the first transport, mean RR interval decreased with loading of the horses and further with the onset of transport (1551 +/- 23, 1304 +/- 166, and 1101 +/- 123 msec 1 d before, immediately preceding, and after 60-90 min of transport, respectively; P < 0.05). Decreases in RR interval during subsequent transports became less pronounced (P < 0.001). Transport was associated with a short rise in the HRV variable standard deviation 2 (P < 0.001 except transport 1), indicating sympathetic activation. No consistent changes were found for other HRV variables. In conclusion, a transport-induced stress response in horses decreased with repeated transport, indicating that animals habituated to the situation, but an increased cortisol secretion remained detectable.
Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2010-07-15 PubMed ID: 20688463DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2010.06.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

The research analyzes the stress response in horses that are repeatedly exposed to road transport. The study examines various physiological measures, such as cortisol secretion and heart rate, to determine how horses acclimatize to stress over time.

Research Objective and Methodology

  • The researchers sought to examine the stress response in horses repeatedly exposed to road transportation. They focused on transport-naive horses, i.e., those unaccustomed to transport.
  • They used various markers to assess the stress response in the animals, including salivary cortisol concentrations, fecal cortisol metabolites, RR interval (time gap between heartbeats), and heart rate variability (HRV).
  • The study involved a sample of eight horses which were transported four times on a standardized journey of 200 km. The cortisol levels and heart rates were measured before and after each transport.

Research Findings

  • The study observed that horses always experienced an increase in salivary cortisol levels in response to transport, indicating the presence of stress. However, the degree of cortisol release decreased with each subsequent transport suggesting that the horses were able to adapt to the stress of transportation over repeated exposures.
  • The concentration of cortisol metabolites in the horses’ feces also increased significantly after the first transport, from 55.1 ng/g before to 161 ng/g after. However, this cortisol level did not elevate further in the following transits.
  • Akin to cortisol levels, the RR interval diminished when the horses were loaded for transport and even further during the journey. Again, this decrease was less pronounced in subsequent transports, indicating a reduced stress response among horses over repeated journeys.
  • The HRV variable, that details changes in the time intervals between heartbeats, faced a short climb, indicating sympathetic activation which usually accompanies stress responses. However, there were no consistent changes noted for other heart rate variability measures.

Conclusion

  • The research concluded that horses show a transport-induced stress response which diminishes with subsequent transports. This supports the idea of animal habituation, where exposure to a stressor over time can reduce the sensitivity of the stress response, reducing the associated physical manifestations.
  • However, even as the horses seemed to acclimatize to the transportation, an elevated cortisol secretion remained detectable, indicating some level of persisted stress.

Cite This Article

APA
Schmidt A, Hödl S, Möstl E, Aurich J, Müller J, Aurich C. (2010). Cortisol release, heart rate, and heart rate variability in transport-naive horses during repeated road transport. Domest Anim Endocrinol, 39(3), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2010.06.002

Publication

Domestic animal endocrinology
ISSN: 1879-0054
NlmUniqueID: 8505191
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 39
Issue: 3
Pages: 205-213

Researcher Affiliations

Schmidt, A
  • Graf Lehndorff Institute for Equine Science, Neustadt (Dosse), Germany.
Hödl, S
    Möstl, E
      Aurich, J
        Müller, J
          Aurich, C

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Feces / chemistry
            • Habituation, Psychophysiologic
            • Heart Rate / physiology
            • Horses / physiology
            • Hydrocortisone / analysis
            • Hydrocortisone / metabolism
            • Male
            • Saliva / chemistry
            • Stress, Physiological / physiology
            • Transportation

            Citations

            This article has been cited 31 times.
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