When compared to baseline, IL-6 and haptoglobin concentrations increased in response to LPS administration, irrespective of
thermal conditions. However, during the LPS challenge, the pattern
of these responses differed between the TN and HT groups. According to our results, the magnitude of the IL-6 increase following the
first LPS injection was greater in pigs kept at TN than those at HT.
Pigs kept at TN had persistently elevated circulating haptoglobin
during the LPS challenge, whereas at HT a gradual decrease in haptoglobin values was observed throughout the experimental period.