Evaluation of hair cortisol concentration as an index of chronic stress in dairy cows

Abstract

　Hair cortisol concentrations are increasingly used as a marker of chronic stress in humans and animals. In dairy cows and other domestic animals, management of chronic stress associated with poor housing and feeding practices is important to improve animal welfare and productivity. To establish hair cortisol as a clinical marker of chronic stress in cattle, it is essential to understand baseline hair cortisol concentrations, examine whether they accurately reflect the dynamics of circulating cortisol and identify factors that may affect hair cortisol concentrations. This review describes the principle and methodology of hair cortisol measurement and discusses how chronic stress can affect the health and reproductive function of dairy cows.