Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T04:59:32.820Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Body weight change as a measure of stress: a practical test

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

GW McLaren ,
F Mathews ,
R Fell ,
M Gelling  and
DW Macdonald
GW McLaren*
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
F Mathews
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
R Fell
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
M Gelling
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
DW Macdonald
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

We report on the efficacy of body weight change as a measure of trapping and handling stress in two species of wild small mammal: bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) and wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus). We tested two hypotheses: (1) that weight change after capture and handling is related to the intensity of the trapping and handling regime, and (2) that weight change after an intensive handling regime is related to an individual's current pattern of energy expenditure. Trapped wood mice that were subjected to intensive handling (intensive stressor) lost more weight than did animals that were handled minimally (less intensive stressor), but this was not the case for bank voles. Patterns and factors related to body weight change in response to intensive handling also differed between the two species: heavier and non-breeding bank voles were more likely to lose weight, but this was not true for wood mice, and none of the factors we measured was found to affect weight loss in this species. Our results were broadly consistent with the predictions of the biological cost hypothesis. We discuss the limitations and benefits of weight loss as a measure of stress.

Keywords

animal welfarebody weighthandlingsmall mammalsstresstrapping
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , August 2004 , pp. 337 - 341
Copyright
© 2004 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Alibhai, SK, Jewell, ZC and Towindo, SS 2001 Effects of immobilization on fertility in female black rhino (Diceros bicornis). Journal of Zoology, London 253: 333–345CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engelhard, GH, Brasseur, SMJM, Hall, AJ, Burton, HR and Reijnders, PJH 2002 Adrenocortical responsiveness in southern elephant seal mothers and pups during lactation and the effect of scientific handling. Journal of Comparative Physiology B 172: 315–328Google ScholarPubMed
Faraday, MM 2002 Rat sex and strain differences in response to stress. Physiology and Behavior 75: 507–522CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grodzinski, W 1985 Ecological energetics of bank voles and wood mice. Symposium of the Zoological Society of London 55: 169–192Google Scholar
Gurnell, J and Flowerdew, JR 1990 Live Trapping of Small Mammals: A Practical Guide. The Mammal Society: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Harris, RBS, Mitchell, TD, Simpson, J, Redmann, SM, Youngblood, BD and Ryan, DH 2002 Weight loss in rats exposed to repeated acute restraint stress is independent of energy or leptin status. American Journal of Physiology 282: R77–R88Google ScholarPubMed
Harris, RBS, Zhou, J, Youngblood, BD, Rybkin, II, Smagin, GN and Ryan, DH 1998 Effect of repeated stress on body weight and body composition of rats fed low- and high-fat diets. American Journal of Physiology 275: R1928–R1938Google ScholarPubMed
Hawkins, MF, Cubic, B, Baumeister, AA and Barton, C 1992 Microinjection of opioid antagonists into the substantia-nigra reduces stress-induced eating in rats. Brain Research 584: 261–265CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kenagy, GJ and Place, NJ 2000 Seasonal changes in plasma glucocorticosteroids of free-living female yellow-pine chipmunks: effects of reproduction and capture and handling. General and Comparative Endocrinology 117: 189–199CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Laugero, KD and Moberg, GP 2000 Summation of behavioral and immunological stress: metabolic consequences to the growing mouse. American Journal of Physiology 279: E44–E49Google Scholar
Mathews, F, Honess, P and Wolfensohn, S 2002 Use of inhalation anaesthesia for wild mammals in the field. Veterinary Record 150: 785–787CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Millspaugh, JJ, Coleman, MA, Bauman, BJ, Raedeke, KJ and Brundige, GC 2000 Serum profiles of American Elk at the time of handling for three capture methods. Canadian Field Naturalist 114: 196–200Google Scholar
Moberg, GP 2000 Biological response to stress: implications for animal welfare. In: Moberg, GP and Mench, JA (eds) The Biology of Animal Stress: Basic Principles and Implications for Animal Welfare pp 1–21. CAB International: Wallingford, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Read, M, Caulkett, N and McCallister, M 2000 Evaluation of zuclopenthixol acetate to decrease handling stress in wapiti. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 36: 450–459CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tuyttens, FAM, Macdonald, DW and Roddam, AW 2002 Effects of radio-collars on European badgers (Meles meles). Journal of Zoology, London 257: 37–42CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, J, Yan, X, Ryan, DH and Harris, RBS 1999 Sustained effects of repeated restraint stress on muscle and adipocyte metabolism in high-fat-fed rats. American Journal of Physiology 277: R757–R766Google ScholarPubMed