Dr. Henry G. Kattesh
Professor

Education

Ph.D., Animal Science/Reprod. Physiology, Virginia Tech. - 1979
M.S., Animal Science/Reprod. Physiology, The Ohio State University - 1975
B.S., Animal Science, The Ohio State University – 1973

Professional Interest: Animal Health and Well-Being

Food producing animals are exposed daily to environmental and management related stressors that have the capacity to disrupt homeostasis, reduce performance, and affect animal well-being. The measurable biological variables and criteria that would be useful in predicting acceptable well-being are illusive at best. Changes in plasma cortisol levels have typically been used as a biological indicator of a stress response. The majority of cortisol in the blood is bound to a specific carrier protein known as corticosteroid-binding globulin, or CBG. Previously, my laboratory demonstrated that gilts acclimated to heat stress had lower plasma cortisol and CBG levels, and that CBG may serve as a more precise indicator of a chronic stress response than cortisol levels alone. Utilizing purified porcine CBG we developed a specific assay to document age-related changes in plasma levels of CBG, as well as liver CBG mRNA in the pig prior to and following birth. We have extended our investigations on the physiological importance of CBG to include studies performed in both cattle and horses.  The goal of this research is to gain an understanding of the controlling factors of CBG synthesis, which may lead to the development of strategies for preparing animals physiologically to impending stressful events. In addition, my laboratory has incorporated the measurement of behavioral responses to supplement the physiological measures to more fully understand cause and affect relationships involved in animal well-being.

Selected Publications:

• Cooper, T. A., M. P. Roberts, H. G. Kattesh, and C. J. Kojima.  2009.  Effects of transport stress, gender, and weaning weight on post-weaning performance in pigs.  Prof. Anim. Sci. 25:189-94.
• Kojima, C. J., H. G. Kattesh, M. P. Roberts, and T. Sun.  2008.  Physiological and immuno- logical responses to weaning and transport in the young pig: modulation by administration of porcine somatotropin.  J. Anim. Sci. 86:2913-19.
• Adcock, R. J., H. G. Kattesh, M. P. Roberts, J. A. Carroll, A. M. Saxton, and C. J. Kojima. 2007.  Temporal relationships between plasma cortisol, corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG), and free cortisol index (FCI) in pigs in response to adrenal stimulation or suppression.  Stress. 10(3):305-10.
• Doherty, T. J., H. G. Kattesh, R. J. Adcock, M. G. Welborn, A. M. Saxton, J. L. Morrow, and J. W. Dailey.  2007.  Effects of a concentrated lidocaine solution on the acute phase stress response to dehorning in dairy calves.  J. Dairy Sci. 90:4232-9.
• Heo, J., H. G. Kattesh, M. P. Roberts, J. L. Morrow, J. W. Dailey, and A. M. Saxton.  2005. Hepatic corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) mRNA expression and plasma CBG concentrations in young pigs in response to heat and social stress.  J. Anim. Sci. 83:208-15.
• Heo, J., H. G. Kattesh, M. P. Roberts, and J. F. Schneider. 2003. Plasma levels of cortisol and corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) and hepatic CBG mRNA in pre- and postnatal pigs. Dom. Anim. Endo. 25(3):263-73.