Effect of the duration of commercial journeys between rearing farms and growing–finishing farms on the physiological stress response of weaned piglets

Article history: Received 16 July 2008 Received in revised form 22 September 2008 Accepted 23 September 2008 To find the effect of journey duration on the stress levels of weaned piglets a combination of physiological welfare indicators was used. One hundred and thirty-six piglets were monitored in two replicates of a short (0.6 h) and a long (8.3 h) commercial transport from a rearing to a growing–finishing farm. Variables studied were haematocrit, red blood cell count (RBC), total white blood cell count (WBC), differential WBC counts, serum pig's major acute phase protein (Pig-MAP), haptoglobin (Hp), cortisol, glucose, creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total protein, and albumin before loading and immediately after unloading. A marked increase in leucocytes (Pb0.01) and a tendency to lower eosinophil concentrations (P=0.086) were observed in those piglets transported during the short journeys. On the other hand, the decrease in lymphocytes was particularly remarkable in the long journeys (Pb0.01). No increase in Hp concentrations after the transports was found, but an increase in Pig-MAP concentrations was observed at the end of the long journeys (Pb0.001). Cortisol concentrations did not show significant changes in either short or long journeys. According to CPK (Pb0.05) and LDH activities, some physical fatigue was detected at the end of transports, particularly in the short journeys. The decrease in haematocrit values in the short journeys (Pb0.05), and the absence of variations in RBC, albumin, and total protein concentrations would indicate that the loss of body water during both transport durations was reduced. Sex did not affect the response of piglets to transport, which could be attributable to the young age of the animals. Changes in albumin concentrations (Pb0.05), together with the tendencies to higher WBC (P=0.092) and neutrophil counts (P=0.076), suggest a more marked response to the stress of transport in heterozygous for the halothane gene (Nn) piglets than in homozygous negative (NN) piglets. Overall results indicate that, although transports were generally stressful, it is unclearwhich of the two durationswasmore detrimental for piglet welfare, and suggest a different stress response to transport with respect to that of older pigs. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.