Blood antioxidant status and plasma pyruvate kinase activity of halothane-reacting pigs

Samples of blood were collected (by jugular venipuncture) from 10 homozygote halothane-reacting pigs and 7 homozygote nonreactors. Antioxidant status was assessed by measurement of blood glutathione peroxidase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and superoxide dismutase activities and plasma concentrations of vitamin E. Significant differences in these values were not apparent between halothane-reacting pigs and nonreactors. Halothane-reacting pigs had tissue damage as indicated by significantly increased plasma activities of the enzymes creatine kinase and pyruvate kinase. The latter showed better discrimination between the 2 populations than did creatine kinase and could prove to be a more effective marker for identification of stress-susceptible pigs.