292. Award Talk: Impact of Transportation Stress on Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Beef Cattle.

Abstract

Transportation is a critical aspect of cattle production; however, it can induce stress and inflammation when animals are moved to a new location, feedlot or abattoir. This study investigated the impact of transportation on the inflammatory responses and antioxidant status of beef cattle. Forty-five (45) Black Angus heifers were randomly allotted to three groups: control (CON: loaded and unloaded from the trailer without transportation), short duration (SD: transported for 75 miles) and long duration (LD: transported for 150 miles), with 15 animals per group. Vital parameters and blood samples were collected at three time points: baseline (prior to transportation), immediately after transportation and 24 hours post-transportation. Plasma was extracted from the blood samples and analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to determine concentrations of pro- and anti-inflammatory markers, as well as oxidative stress biomarkers. Data were analyzed using mixed model procedure in SAS 9.4. There was weight loss or shrink in the animals after transportation regardless of the transportation duration. Vital parameters increased after transportation but returned to normal levels within 24 hours. Additionally, transported animals showed elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reduced levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines both immediately after and 24 hours post- transportation. The transported groups had lower antioxidant status, higher lipid peroxidation, and lower antioxidant enzyme activity than the control group. In conclusion, transportation is a necessary but stressful process for beef cattle. Animals should be prepared to withstand the stressful journey by supplementing them with antioxidants to prevent the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, thereby mitigating oxidative stress and inflammation.