TRANSPORT OF PIGS DIFFERENT WITH RESPECT TO THE HALOTHANE GENE - STRESS ASSESSMENT

Two transport experiments were carried out with 18 pigs each. These pi gs originated from three genetic Lines (homozygous halothane-positive and -negative and heterozygotes). Half the pigs were unfed for 12 h be fore transport. Ah pigs were transported twice for 2 h. Before and aft er transport pigs were anesthetized to take blood samples from the jug ular vein and biopsies from the biceps femoris. At the same time equip ment to measure body temperature and heart rate were attached or detac hed. Plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations were measured a s well as the glycogen concentration in the muscle sample. Line differ ences were detected with respect to body temperature (P < .04), heart rate (P < .05), and cortisol (P < .01). The withholding of feed influe nced (P < .04) plasma beta-endorphin concentration. Body temperature ( P < .02), heart rate (P < .001), cortisol(P < .01), and beta-endorphin (P < .001) were different before and after transport, whereas a train ing effect of the transport number was observed for heart rate (P < .0 7) and plasma beta-endorphin (P < .02). No interactions between treatm ents were observed. The relationship between cortisol and beta-endorph in suggests a nonconcomitant release of ACTH and beta-endorphin.