@article {3672,
	title = {Do cows with facial eczema feel pain?},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {81},
	year = {2021},
	month = {01/2022},
	pages = {122-128},
	address = {Online},
	abstract = {Facial eczema (FE) negatively influences production and welfare. One consequence of FE is reduced feed intake, which could possibly be a consequence of cows experiencing nausea or pain or both. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of cortisol and acute phase protein (APP) concentrations (indirect measures of pain) with gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and bile acid concentrations (indirect measures of liver damage) in dairy cattle. Blood samples were collected from 2,080 lactating dairy cattle from seven farms that were affected by FE and located in the North Island of New Zealand. Blood samples were analysed for GGT, bile acid, cortisol and APP (serum ferroxidase (SF), serum amyloid A and haptoglobin) concentrations. Data were analysed using best subsets linear regression including farm as a factor and various other prediction variables. There was a significant positive relationship between GGT and bile acid (P<0.001, Adjusted R2=37.3\%), SF (P<0.001, Adjusted R2=27.4\%), and haptoglobin (P<0.001, Adjusted R2=1.9\%) concentrations, but not with cortisol. The positive association between GGT concentrations and APP (SF, haptoglobin) may partly reflect the degree of liver damage caused by sporidesmin intoxication, however, it could also suggest that animals with higher GGT levels are experiencing systemic inflammation and potentially pain.


Keywords: acute phase proteins; facial eczema; gamma-glutamyl transferase; inflammation; pain},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Sutherland M and Huddart F and Cox NR and Cuttance E and Sch{\"u}tz K}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {Relationship between gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations and lying behaviour in dairy cattle},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {80},
	year = {2020},
	month = {09/2020},
	pages = {24-28},
	address = {Online},
	abstract = {Facial eczema (FE) in livestock results in liver damage, impaired production and welfare, and is a significant problem in New
Zealand. The pathology of this disease has been described in sheep and cattle, however, few studies have investigated the behavioural
response to FE and whether behaviour can be used as an indicator of FE. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate lying
behaviour of dairy cattle with FE. Six farms located in the North Island of New Zealand with confirmed cases of FE were selected
(n=391 lactating cows). Blood samples were collected to analyse gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations and three
days of continuous lying behaviour were recorded using accelerometers. There was no correlation between GGT concentrations
and either lying times (r2=0.0008) or lying bout frequency (r2=0.0008) when all animals were included in the analysis. In addition,
lying times (means{\textpm}SEM: Low: 9{\textpm}0.1 h/d, High: 9{\textpm}0.1 h/d; P=0.347) and lying bout frequency (means{\textpm}SEM: Low: 8{\textpm}0.2 no.
bouts/d, High: 8{\textpm}0.2 no. bouts/d; P=0.149) did not differ between pair-matched cows with Low (<= 89 IU/L) or High (>= 123 IU/L)
GGT concentrations. Therefore, it does not appear as though lying behaviour, measured using accelerometers, is associated with
GGT levels in dairy cattle.

Keywords: facial eczema; gamma-glutamyl transferase; lying behaviour},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Sutherland M and Huddart F and Lowe G and Cox N and Cuttance E and Sch{\"u}tz K}
}
