Hair cortisol levels in captive brown hare (Lepus europaeus): potential effect of sex, age, and breeding technology(276 views) Esposito L, Auletta L, Ciani F, Pelagalli A, Pasolini M, Lamagna B, Piscopo N, Amici A
Hair cortisol levels in captive brown hare (Lepus europaeus): potential effect of sex, age, and breeding technology
Breeding wild animals for restocking imply their
ability to respond to wild conditions and to overcome the
stress of transport and cage rearing. Cortisol was used in animals
to measure stress levels. Aims of the study were to
ascertain if a difference in hair cortisol concentration (HCC)
existed between hares raised according to different breeding
technologies (familiar, semi-industrial, industrial breeding)
before transportation and after a pre-acclimatization period,
and if a short period of adaptation could reduce the stress
status. Hair samples were collected from 120 hares from an
area of approximately 13.5 sp cm from the left sulcus
jugularis by using an electric hair clipper, at day 0 (d0) and
after 15 days (d15), and processed by previously established
procedures. HCC significantly decreased at d15 compared to
d0 in all groups. A significant difference in HCC was detected
between female hares of the three groups at d0, between male
and female animals belonging to the industrial group at d15,
between d0 and d15 in female hares belonging to the familiar
and to the industrial group, and between d0 and d15 in male
hares belonging to all groups. The different breeding technologies
considered resulted exerting different stress levels in
hares. Fifteen days of pre-acclimatization in a low-stress environment
significantly reduced HCC. Controversial results
have been obtained with female subjects from the industrial group, suggesting possible complex relationships between
gender and HCC.
Hair cortisol levels in captive brown hare (Lepus europaeus): potential effect of sex, age, and breeding technology (PDF Download Available)
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Hair cortisol levels in captive brown hare (Lepus europaeus): potential effect of sex, age, and breeding technology