Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

An Evaluation Of The Endocrine Response To Dystocia In The Primiparous Cow And Calf, Glenda M. Borcher

Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Scholarship

Parturition is a very stressful event for both the cow and the calf. Endocrine changes occur which typically enable to calf to make the transition from a uterine to a gaseous environment. These endocrine changes are basic stress responses, necessary for an organism to maintain homeostasis. They include surges in catecholamine and cortisol secretion and changes in T3 secretion in response to temperature changes. It is well established that the stress response, if

prolonged, can become detrimental. Prolonged stress can result in muscle wasting, immune impairment and gastrointestinal ulceration. If parturition is delayed or particularly stressful due to environmental factors …