Influence of road transportation on plasma concentrations of acute phase proteins, including fibrinogen, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, and ceruloplasmin, in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Abstract

Transportation is an inevitable husbandry practice which animals encounter in the livestock industry and raises considerable interest both in economic and animal welfare terms. With respect to the growing interest in using acute phase proteins as health and welfare indicators, the aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of road transportation on the concentrations of fibrinogen, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, and ceruloplasmin in Iranian dromedary camels. Ten clinically healthy Iranian dromedary camels, five males and five females, were selected and subjected to a journey of approximately 300 km in a truck by road during the late summer. Blood samples were collected immediately before loading at 8:30 a.m., after 1 h transportation, at 9:30 a.m., and at the end of the journey after unloading at 1:30 pm. A final blood sample was taken 24 h after arrival. Blood concentrations of plasma proteins, including fibrinogen, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, ceruloplasmin, total protein, and albumin, were measured using validated methods. Mean basal pre-transport concentrations of fibrinogen (3.10 ± 0.47 g/l), haptoglobin (0.3 ± 0.04 g/l), serum amyloid A (9.77 ± 0.62 μg/ml), and ceruloplasmin (0.096 ± 0.01 g/l) did not change significantly during and after road transportation. In addition, transportation had no significant effects on basal plasma concentrations of total protein (60.8 ± 6.1 g/l) and albumin (38.3 ± 2.1 g/l). No significant difference was observed in any parameter between sexes at each sampling time. We conclude that stressful conditions during the journey under hot summer environmental conditions were not severe enough to trigger an acute phase response. The value of the investigated plasma parameters as welfare indicators in dromedary camel over short transportation would be limited. Taken together, this plasma protein profile may be of value for future research on acute phase proteins as potential markers of health and welfare and to develop a baseline for practical applications in dromedary camels.