The following is intended to provide an understanding of the role of vitamin C and the basics of physiological stress and ways of using this knowledge in practical situations, the influence vitamin C has on the immune system, the influence vitamin C has on Vitamin D3 and bone metabolism and the importance of vitamin C for skin and coat. Much confusion exists as to what stress is, and is not. Consequently, management practices may result in stress responses often creating situations which aggravate the initial reaction to the stressor. In order to avoid this we must first understand what 'physiological' stress really is. Physiological stress is the nonspecific response to any external demand which calls upon the animal to adapt to a new situation.
Life is a constant set of adjustments.
Energy is needed to make these adjustments. Whether the adjustment is either great or small, physiological stress provides the energy to accomplish the adjustment through nonspecific responses. The specific response is unique for each stressor but the nonspecific response is essentially the same for every stressor. Since the presence of stressors is constant, by definition the absence of stress would be death. We cannot totally avoid stress, we must manage it.