Abstract
Immune response and other potential measures of stress were assessed in 40 weaned red deer calves in a 2×2 factorial experiment. Replicate groups of five calves (approximately 3 months of age) born to dams from two sources (wild, (W) or farmed, (F)) were housed at weaning at one of two stocking densities (1.8 m 2 per head, (H), or 4.5 m 2 per head, (L)) for 22 weeks. Calves were immunised with ovalbumin (OVA) 1 week after weaning and housing (Week 1) and again at Week 20. The initial (Week 2) lymphocyte response to OVA was lower ( P<0.05) in W than F calves. Antibody titres to OVA were lower ( P<0.05) in W than F calves at Weeks 4, 12 and 22. Antibody and lymphocyte responses to OVA showed that W calves were less able to mount and maintain an immune defence to a foreign antigen than F calves. Proportionally more time was spent lying inactive ( P<0.01) and less time feeding by W than F calves ( P<0.01). More time was spent standing by H than L calves ( P<0.01). Antibody titres were negatively correlated with liveweight gain ( r=−0.77; P<0.001), lying ( r=−0.31; P<0.01) and plasma cortisol concentration ( r=−0.46; P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts to OVA were correlated with liveweight gain ( r=−0.69; P<0.001). Activity and immune responses were identified as indices of housing stressors in weaned red deer calves. Measurement of primary and secondary antibody responses may be valuable in assessing the short- and long-term effects of housing density.
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