Preventing ectoparasite infestations reduces glucocorticoid concentrations in the hair of cows - short communication

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare hair corticosteroid concentrations in ectoparasiticide-treated (n = 10) and non-treated (n = 12) Holstein cows. Animals in the treated group received cyfluthrin three times, on days 0, 28 and 56 of the experiment. Hair samples were collected from all cows on days 0, 21, 42, 63, and 84 of the experiment for the determination of cortisol and corticosterone concentrations using immunoassays. The respective hair cortisol concentrations in the treated group averaged 209.78, 165.10, 260.78, 177.44 and 183.11 ng/g, while in the non-treated group hair cortisol concentrations averaged 172.58, 243.58, 309.73, 199.75 and 207.09 ng/g. These results indicate that the control of ectoparasites reduced hair cortisol levels in dairy cows. The respective hair corticosterone concentrations in the treated group averaged 19.06, 22.95, 21.95, 21.60 and 24.84 ng/g and in the non-treated group the hair corticosterone concentrations averaged 17.28, 21.94, 34.05, 26.27 and 26.91 ng/g. The results suggest that long-term stress can be estimated better by the determination of hair cortisol rather than corticosterone concentrations.