Impact of Stress on Health and Final Weight in Fattening Lambs
Teresa Navarro,
José María González,
Juan José Ramos,
María Carmen Marca,
Lucia Figliola,
Marta Ruiz de Arcaute,
Marta Borobia,
Aurora Ortín
Affiliations
Teresa Navarro
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
José María González
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Juan José Ramos
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
María Carmen Marca
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Lucia Figliola
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Marta Ruiz de Arcaute
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Marta Borobia
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Aurora Ortín
Departamento de Patología Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón-IA2 (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Facultad de Veterinaria, C/Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
In order to determine whether the stress level had any influence on the health and final weight of Rasa Aragonesa fattening lambs, stress markers were measured throughout the fattening period in 80 feedlot lambs (group F) and in 40 lambs finished on the farm of birth (group C). The highest values of the stress indicators—neutrophil-to-lymphocyte-ratio (N/L), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum cortisol and fecal cortisol metabolites (FCM)—were recorded after the road transportation of group F to the feedlot. No differences between the groups were identified at the end of the adaptation period, but at the end of the fattening, statistically significant higher values for NEFA and serum cortisol were determined in group F. However, statistically significant differences between the groups were not found in the percentage of lambs with clinical signs of illness and ovine respiratory complex (ORC) lesions or in the final weight of the lambs. Independent of the location at which the lambs were fattened, those with FCM values at the beginning of the study (at the time of weaning) in the highest quartile developed a higher percentage of clinical signs of illness (45.5% vs. 32.1%, p > 0.05) and ORC lesions (45.5% vs. 10.7%, p p = 0.001) than those with values in the lowest quartile. Stress experienced by lambs prior to finishing seems to be relevant for their further development, and FCM concentration at the time of weaning could be used as an indicator of health and productive performance of the lambs during the fattening period, regardless of finishing location.