AGRICULTURE REPORT - Treating Stress in Animals

AGRICULTURE REPORT
–
January 22, 2002: Treating Stress in Animals

By George Grow

This is the VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT.

People often experience stress as a result of events in their lives. Stress is a physical condition that results from
real or expected problems. People may experience stress when they lose a job or feel threatened. Common signs
include increased heart rate, higher blood pressure and muscle tension².

American agriculture experts say farm animals also may experience stress. Animals may experience stress after
giving birth or for other reasons. They say stress may affect meat quality, milk production and the health of farm
animals.

Experts say stress in animals is more difficult to identify. Farmers can look for signs
such as lower than expected body weight and increased risk of disease³.

Ted¹ Elsasser is a scientist at the United States Agricultural Research Service. He is
studying a possible sign of stress in animals. He says changed proteins called
nitrated proteins may serve as an early warning system for the problem.

Currently⁴, farmers use antibiotics⁵ to treat stress in animals. However, repeated use
of use antibiotics can lead to bacteria that resist the drugs.

Mister⁶ Elsasser is studying another method. He found that Vitamin E may protect farm animals against the
harmful effects of stress. In an experiment, he gave Vitamin E to six young cows. Then he injected the animals
with a harmful substance taken from the cell walls of bacteria. This toxin⁷ causes the defense⁸ system of the
animals to react as if an infection were present. The scientist injected six other calves⁹ with only the toxin. Four
other cows did not receive the toxin or the Vitamin E.

Then Mister Elsasser studied the animals. All of the animals that received the toxin had lower levels of a natural
growth substance in their liver¹⁰ and blood, compared with the untreated calves. However, the calves that were
given Vitamin E and the toxin had higher levels of the growth factor than those that received only the toxin. The
calves given vitamin E also recovered more quickly from the effects of the harmful substance.

Mister Elsasser says using Vitamin E helps support growth rates and may prevent some infections. He says being
able to prevent infections linked to stress could lead to lower medical costs and healthier farm animals.

This VOA Special English AGRICULTURE REPORT was written by George Grow.

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1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 tension   

n.(紧张)状态；拉(绷)紧；张力，拉力

参考例句：

• I could feel the tension in the room. 我可以感觉到房间里的紧张气氛。
• Relaxaion is better than tension. 缓和比紧张好。

3 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

4 currently   

adv.通常地，普遍地，当前

参考例句：

• Currently it is not possible to reconcile this conflicting evidence.当前还未有可能去解释这一矛盾的例证。
• Our contracts are currently under review.我们的合同正在复查。

5 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

6 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

7 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 calves   

n.(calf的复数)笨拙的男子，腓；腿肚子( calf的名词复数 )；牛犊；腓；小腿肚v.生小牛( calve的第三人称单数 )；（冰川）崩解；生（小牛等），产（犊）；使（冰川）崩解

参考例句：

• a cow suckling her calves 给小牛吃奶的母牛
• The calves are grazed intensively during their first season. 小牛在生长的第一季里集中喂养。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 liver   

n.肝；肝脏

参考例句：

• He has a weak liver.他的肝脏不好。
• The largest organ in the body is the liver.人体最大的器官是肝脏。