EFFECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS, ACUTE COLD STRESS, AND DIET ON FORESTOMACH CONTRACTIONS IN CATTLE

Abstract

Studies were made on forestomach contraction frequencies as affected by diet (brome hay, alfalfa hay, alfalfa silage and barley concentrate diet), acute cold stress and acute psychological stress. Four 15-mo-old steers fitted with ruminal fistulae were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Diets did not influence contractile frequencies of the forestomachs, and did not interact with the effects of the stresses. Acute cold stress and psychological stress both produced significant increases of forestomach contraction frequencies and of heart rate. Key words: Cold stress, psychological stress, forestomach contractions, heart rate