Influence of epinephrine reactivity to stress on meat quality in goats.

The magnitude of physiological responses to a stressor can vary among individual goats within a herd; however, whether these differences can differentially affect meat quality is not known. This study was conducted to determine the influence of the magnitude of epinephrine response (ER) to acute stress on muscle metabolome and meat quality in goats. Male Spanish goats (6 mo old) were transported for 180 min.

Habituation to Livestock Trailer and Its Influence on Stress Responses during Transportation in Goats.

This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of habituation to livestock trailers on stress responses in goats transported for long periods. Intact male Spanish goats (12-month old; BW = 31.6 ± 0.

Differential gene expression analysis using RNA-seq in the blood of goats exposed to transportation stress.

Transportation stress causes significant changes in physiological responses in goats; however, studies exploring the transcriptome of stress are very limited. The objective of this study was to determine the differential gene expressions and related pathways in the blood samples using RNA-seq procedure in Spanish goats subjected to different durations of transportation stress. Fifty-four male Spanish goats (8-mo old; BW = 29.

Metabolomic exploration of the effects of habituation to livestock trailer and extended transportation in goats.

Goats raised for meat production are often transported long distances. Twelve-month-old male Spanish goats were used to determine the effects of habituation to trailers on plasma metabolomic profiles when transported for extended periods. In a split-plot design, 168 goats were separated into two treatment (TRT; whole plot) groups and maintained on two different paddocks.

RNA-Seq exploration of the influence of stress on meat quality in Spanish goats.

Studies exploring the transcriptome of stress and its effects on meat quality are very limited, particularly in goats. Fifty-four male Spanish goats (8-mo old; BW = 29.7 ± 2.

Influence of Excitability Rate on Physiological Responses to Stress in Goats.

This study was conducted to determine if excitability score (ES) in goats can influence their physiological responses when subjected to stress. Thirty-six intact male Spanish goats (8-mo-old) were individually weighed and scored for excitability: 1 for calm (13 goats), 2 for moderately excitable (11 goats), and 3 for highly excitable (12 goats). To impose stress, goats were assigned to one of three treatments (TRT) for 90 min: (i) isolation in an open pen with metal grill panels, (ii) isolation in a pen with side panels covered using tarp sheets, and (iii) no isolation (control).

High-Condensed Tannin Diet and Transportation Stress in Goats: Effects on Physiological Responses, Gut Microbial Counts and Meat Quality.

Feeding condensed tannin (CT)-containing diets such as sericea lespedeza () and reducing stress have been reported to improve meat quality and food safety in goats. In a completely randomized design with split-plot, thirty-six uncastrated male Spanish goats were assigned to 3 dietary treatments (n = 12/treatment): ground 'Serala' sericea lespedeza hay (SER), bermudagrass () hay (BG), or bermudagrass hay-dewormed goats (BG-DW; Control) at 75% of intake, with a corn-based supplementation (25%) for 8 weeks. Prior to slaughter, goats were either transported for 90 min to impose stress or held in pens.

Plasma metabolomic profiles as affected by diet and stress in Spanish goats.

The effects of high-condensed tannin (CT) diet combined with preslaughter stress have not been studied at the metabolome level in goats. This study was conducted to determine the effects of feeding sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata), a high-CT legume, and transportation stress on plasma metabolome in goats. Uncastrated male Spanish goats (age = 8 months; BW = 26.

Social isolation of goats: significance of visual contact with conspecifics on behavioral and physiological responses.

Social isolation can increase distress in goats, particularly when they cannot maintain visual contact with conspecifics. This experiment was conducted to determine the behavioral and physiological responses in goats during isolation with or without visual contact with conspecifics. Male Spanish goats (uncastrated, 8 mo old, average weight 29.