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ARS Home » Plains Area » Lubbock, Texas » Cropping Systems Research Laboratory » Livestock Issues Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #369184

Research Project: Nutritional Intervention and Management Strategies to Reduce Stress and Improve Health and Well-being in Cattle and Swine

Location: Livestock Issues Research

Title: Acute phase response to lipopolysaccharide challenge in beef steers supplemented with prebiotic blends

Author
item Sanchez, Nicole
item Broadway, Paul
item Carroll, Jeffery - Jeff Carroll
item PAULUS COMPART, DEVAN - Pmi Nutritional Additives
item FORCHERIO, J - Land O' Lakes Purina Feed, Llc

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/28/2019
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted to determine the effects of two prebiotic blends on the acute phase response (APR) following lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in steers. Crossbred steers (n=36; 273±4 kg) were fed for 21d on three different treatments: 1) Control, fed a standard receiving ration; 2) Control ration supplemented with a Prebiotic/Probiotic blend (28.4 g/hd/d; PMI); and 3) Control ration supplemented with a DFM/Prebiotic blend (19.0 g/hd/d; PMI). On d20, calves were fitted with indwelling rectal temperature (RT) monitors and jugular catheters and moved into individual stanchions in a covered barn. On d21, blood samples were collected, and sickness behavior scores recorded at 0.5-h intervals from -2 to 8h and again at 24h relative to an i.v. challenge with 0.25 µg/kg BW LPS. Serum was isolated and stored until analyzed for pro-inflammatory cytokines, cortisol and glucose concentrations. Complete blood counts were measured every 2h from -2 to 8h and again at 24h. Pre-challenge RT measured for 18h prior to the challenge tended (P=0.10) to be affected by treatment such that calves fed the Prebiotic/Probiotic blend had greater RT than Control and tended to be greater than calves fed the DFM/Prebiotic blend (38.9, 39.2, and 39.0±0.1oC, respectively). Post-challenge RT increased 0.8-1.0oC on average but did not differ between treatments (P=0.53). Sickness behavior scores were not different between treatments (P=0.14). There were no differences in white blood cell or differential counts between treatments (P=0.25). Serum concentrations of TNF-a, IL-6, and IFN-' increased in response to the challenge (P< 0.01) but were not different between treatments (P=0.26). Serum cortisol and glucose concentrations were reduced in both supplemented groups compared to Control steers (P=0.006). Therefore, the data suggest that the effects of the prebiotic blends during an immune challenge were limited to alterations in metabolic biomarkers and energy utilization.