Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315023
Title: Modulation of the metabolic response to vaccination in naive beef steers using an acute versus chronic stress model

Author
item Sanchez, Nicole
item Carroll, Jeffery
item MAY, NATHAN - West Texas A & M University
item ROBERTS, SHELBY - West Texas A & M University
item HUGHES, HEATHER - West Texas A & M University
item Broadway, Paul
item SHARON, KATE - Texas Tech University
item BALLOU, MICHAEL - Texas Tech University
item RICHESON, JOHN - West Texas A & M University

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/20/2015
Publication Date: 7/1/2015
Citation: Sanchez, N.C., Carroll, J.A., May, N.D., Roberts, S.L., Hughes, H.D., Broadway, P.R., Sharon, K.P., Ballou, M.A., Richeson, J.T. 2015. Modulation of the metabolic response to vaccination in naive beef steers using an acute versus chronic stress model. Journal of Animal Science Supplement. 93 (E-Supplement 3):597 Abstract#589.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Available energy plays a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of an immune response to a pathogen a process that is further altered by activation of stress system. This study was designed to determine the effect of an acute versus chronic stress model on the metabolic response to vaccination in naïve beef steers. Steers (n=32; 209 +/- 8 kg) were blocked by body weight and assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 1) Chronic stress (CHR), 0.5 mg/kg body weight dexamethasone (DEX) administered intraveneously at 1000h on day 3 - day 6; 2) Acute stress (ACU), 0.5 mg/kg body weight DEX administered intraveneously at 1000h on day 6; or 3) Control (CON), no DEX. On day 2, steers were fitted with jugular vein catheters and moved into individual stanchions in an environmentally-controlled barn. Blood samples were collected at -74, -50, and -26h, at 0.5h intervals from -4h to 6h, and at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 72h relative to vaccination with Pyramid 5 + Presponse SQ at 1200h on day 6. Serum was isolated and stored at -80C until analyzed for glucose, NEFA, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations. Feed intake was not different (P=0.44) between CON (4.9±0.2 kg), ACU (4.9±0.2 kg) and CHR steers (5.1 +/- 0.2 kg). There was a treatment x time interaction (P<0.001) for serum glucose concentrations. Specifically, glucose concentrations increased at -50h in CHR steers and at 12h in ACU steers, and remained elevated through 72h post-vaccination period compared to CON steers. The change in NEFA concentrations was affected by treatment (P<0.001) and time (P<0.001) such that the change in NEFA was greater in CHR (0.06 +/- 0.01 mmol/L), followed by CON (-0.01 +/- 0.01 mmol/L) and ACU steers (-0.04 +/- 0.01 mmol/L). Concentrations of BUN were affected by treatment (P<0.001) and time (P<0.001) such that BUN concentrations were greatest in CHR (12.0 +/- 0.1 mg/dL) followed by ACU (10.4 +/- 0.1 mg/dL) and CON steers (9.6 +/- 0.1 mg/dL). These data demonstrate that activation of the stress and immune axes using an acute or chronic stress model can increase energy mobilization prior to and following vaccination in naïve steers, potentially affecting energy availability needed to mount an adequate antibody response to vaccination.