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Volume 8, Issue 4 (Suppl) J Vet Sci Technol, an open access journal
ISSN: 2157-7579 Veterinary 2017
September 04-05, 2017
September 04-05, 2017 | Paris, France
7th International Veterinary Congress
Studying basal blood plasma catecholamine concentrations in donkey (Equus asinus)
Aristide Maggiolino
University of Bari, Italy
Statement of the Problem: Catecholamines are among the most frequently investigated parameters for studying short-term welfare
problems providing information regarding sympathoadrenal activity in response to acute stress conditions. The aim of the study was
to evaluate levels of basal plasma catecholamines (adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine) in healthy donkeys.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A total of 962 Martina Franca donkeys were used for this study: 684 females and 278
males, aged from 4 months to 24 years. Animals were subdivided into four age categories: under 12 months old, from 13 to 36 months,
from 37 to 120 months and over 120 months. Blood samples were collected from jugular vein. At sampling, donkeys’ reaction was
evaluated and subdivided into 3 different categories: no reaction; donkeys move the head; and donkeys tend to flee. The dataset of
animals with ‘no reactions’ was used to calculate confidence intervals and was subjected to two-way ANOVA considering age and
as independent variables to describe basal catecholamines values. The whole dataset was subjected to one-way ANOVA considering
reaction as independent variable. Moreover, Pearson’s correlation coefficients between the 3 catecholamines were also evaluated.
Findings: Confidence intervals (CI) for noradrenaline concentration ranged between 239.98 ng/L and 255.07 ng/L, for adrenaline
between 129.27 ng/L and 137.90 ng/L, dopamine concentrations between 149.62 ng/L and 160.80 ng/L and noradrenaline/adrenaline
ratio between 1.91 and 2.05. Age and reaction to sampling affect catecholamine concentrations.
Conclusion & Significance: Catecholamines are particularly sensible and respond to minimal acute stress. Younger animals were
probably more sensitive to contact with humans, considering that older animals are more used to being near man. However, when
catecholamines are measured, it is necessary to observe also animal reaction to blood collection because could be itself cause of level
alteration.
Biography
Aristide Maggiolino is a Research Fellow in Animal Science at the Department of Veterinary Medicine of Bari University “A. Moro” (Italy). In the last years his
researches focused on equid production, both for milk and meat from horses and donkeys. Several draught horses, such as donkey’s breeds risk extinction are
nowadays endangered for the lack of an economically sustainable use. The main aim of his research is the evaluation of catecholamine plasma levels in donkeys
because of their involvement as indicator of acute stress, considering innovation that this species is going to live for new techniques and technologies introduced
in farm management.
Aristide Maggiolinoi et al., J Vet Sci Technol 2017, 8:4(Suppl)
DOI: 10.4172/2157-7579-C1-024