Associations of serum biomarkers of stress and inflammation measured at arrival with bovine respiratory disease incidence, mortality, and growth of calves transported within the first 4 days of life

Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is 1 of the major causes of mortality and growth delay in pre-weaned calves. Stressful events, such as commingling and transportation, are predisposing factors to BRD. Elevation in circulating concentrations of the inflammatory biomarker haptoglobin (Hp), and stress biomarkers cortisol and l-lactate, have been observed in calves after long-distance transportation. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the association between circulating levels of Hp, cortisol, and lactate at day of arrival and BRD incidence, mortality, and growth of calves transported within the first 4 days of life. We hypothesized that higher levels of Hp, cortisol, and lactate are associated with higher BRD incidence and mortality, and with delayed growth during the pre-weaning period.