Review Article

The involvement of the hypothalamopituitary-adrenocortical axis in stress physiology and its significance in the assessment of animal welfare in cattle

Emma J. Brown, Andre Vosloo
Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research | Vol 84, No 1 | a1398 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v84i1.1398 | © 2017 Emma J. Brown, Andre Vosloo | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 07 November 2016 | Published: 28 April 2017

About the author(s)

Emma J. Brown, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, South Africa
Andre Vosloo, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, South Africa

Abstract

The intensification of cattle production has raised concern for animal welfare due to the stress that is associated with farming practices. The welfare of an animal is determined by the animal’s ability to cope with or adapt to its continuously changing environment and the biological cost that is associated with this adaptation and maintenance. Stressors arise from various psychological, physiological and physical aspects of farming practices due to management and human–cattle interactions. Measuring the activity of the hypothalamopituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis with plasma cortisol levels is a useful method for determining the effects of stress on animals as it is stimulated at the onset of a perceived stress. The activation of the HPA axis affects various target tissues or systems and can result in suppression of the immune system, increased susceptibility to disease and adverse effects on reproductive success in prenatal and neonatal calves. Although some levels of stress associated with farming practices are unavoidable, improvements in farming methods need to be implemented in order to maintain or increase the efficiency of cattle production in a way that does not compromise the welfare of the animal.

Keywords

Stress; HPA axis; Cattle; Animal Welfare; Reproduction; Immune Function

Metrics

Total abstract views: 6986
Total article views: 8030

 

Crossref Citations

1. Exploring alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters, enzyme activities and serum cortisol in Besnoitia besnoiti naturally infected dairy cattle
Luca Villa, Alessia Libera Gazzonis, Sergio Aurelio Zanzani, Silvia Mazzola, Alessia Giordano, Maria Teresa Manfredi
Parasites & Vectors  vol: 14  issue: 1  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04626-4

2. Influence of calf vigour and suckling assistance from birth to weaning in Guzerá beef cattle
Bianca Vilela Pires, Luara Afonso de Freitas, Gabriele Voltareli da Silva, Sérgio Brasil Garcia Pimenta Neves Pereira Lima, Joslaine Noely dos Santos Gonçalves Cyrillo, Nedenia Bonvino Stafuzza, Maria Lúcia Pereira de Lima, Claudia Cristina Paro de Paz
Animal Production Science  vol: 61  issue: 8  first page: 790  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1071/AN20056

3. Stress amelioration potential of vitamin C in ruminants: a review
Oluwakamisi Festus Akinmoladun
Tropical Animal Health and Production  vol: 54  issue: 1  year: 2022  
doi: 10.1007/s11250-021-03026-1

4. Effect of environmental enrichment on weaned piglets: physiological responses
Ariadna Yanez-Pizana, Daniel Mota-Rojas, Manuel Castillo-Rivera, Ramiro Ramirez-Necoechea, Isabel Guerrero-Legarreta, Patricia Mora-Medina, Miguel Gonzalez-Lozano
Veterinární medicína  vol: 64  issue: 5  first page: 217  year: 2019  
doi: 10.17221/104/2018-VETMED

5. Effect of acute stressors, adrenocorticotropic hormone administration, and cortisol release on milk yield, the expression of key genes, proliferation, and apoptosis in goat mammary epithelial cells
G.F. Bomfim, G.K.F. Merighe, S.A. de Oliveira, J.A. Negrao
Journal of Dairy Science  vol: 101  issue: 7  first page: 6486  year: 2018  
doi: 10.3168/jds.2017-14123

6. l-Glutamine supplementation reduces gastrointestinal permeability and biomarkers of physiological stress in preweaning Holstein heifer calves
Guadalupe Ceja, Jacquelyn P. Boerman, Rafael C. Neves, Matthew W. Jorgensen, Jay S. Johnson
Journal of Dairy Science  vol: 106  issue: 12  first page: 9663  year: 2023  
doi: 10.3168/jds.2023-23334

7. Association between Ovum Pick-Up (OPU) frequency and stressrelated hormone concentrations in Holstein heifer oocyte donors
A. S. Zhukova, R. Yu. Chinarov, O. S. Mityashova
Genetics and breeding of animals  issue: 4  first page: 76  year: 2026  
doi: 10.31043/2410-2733-2025-4-76-83

8. Differential Expression of Hypothalamic Genes in Laying Hens Housed in Caged and Cage-Free Systems Under Commercial Conditions in the Tropics
Roy Rodriguez-Hernández, María Paula Herrera-Sánchez, Rafael Suárez-Mesa, Edgar Oviedo-Rondón, Iang Schroniltgen Rondón-Barragán
Animals  vol: 16  issue: 4  first page: 671  year: 2026  
doi: 10.3390/ani16040671

9. Oxidative stress, serum metabolites, inflammatory cytokine changes associated with lumpy skin disease in cattle
Sumit Mahajan, Megha Pande, Naimi Chand, Anjali, Ajayvir Singh Sirohi, Suresh Kumar, Siddhartha Saha, Amit Kumar, Ashok Kumar Mohanty, Abhijit Mitra
BMC Veterinary Research  vol: 21  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-05113-z

10. Calf morbidity, mortality, and management practices in dairy farms in Jimma City, Southwestern Ethiopia
Umer Mifta Ahmedin, Alula Alemayehu Assen
BMC Veterinary Research  vol: 19  issue: 1  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1186/s12917-023-03815-w

11. Seasonal environmental fluctuations alter the transcriptome dynamics of oocytes and granulosa cells in beef cows
Kamryn Joyce, Ahmed Gad, Nico G. Menjivar, Samuel Gebremedhn, Daniella Heredia, Georgia Dubeux, Maria Camila Lopez-Duarte, Joao Bittar, Angela Gonella-Diaza, Dawit Tesfaye
Journal of Ovarian Research  vol: 17  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1186/s13048-024-01530-0

12. Adrenoceptors as potential target for add-on immunomodulatory therapy in multiple sclerosis
Ivan Pilipović, Zorica Stojić-Vukanić, Gordana Leposavić
Pharmacology & Therapeutics  vol: 243  first page: 108358  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108358

13. The Effect of Stress on Reproduction and Reproductive Technologies in Beef Cattle—A Review
Aitor Fernandez-Novo, Sonia S. Pérez-Garnelo, Arantxa Villagrá, Natividad Pérez-Villalobos, Susana Astiz
Animals  vol: 10  issue: 11  first page: 2096  year: 2020  
doi: 10.3390/ani10112096

14. Assessment of horses’ welfare: Behavioral, hormonal, and husbandry aspects
Ilaria Arena, Giovanna Marliani, Stefano Sabioni, Gianfranco Gabai, Diego Bucci, Pier Attilio Accorsi
Journal of Veterinary Behavior  vol: 41  first page: 82  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2021.01.006

15. Medidas comportamentais e fisiológicas: correlação e relevância para avaliação do bem-estar de bovinos de corte
Carla Comerlato Jardim, Isabella Dias Barbosa Silveira, Roberson Macedo de Oliveira, Ana Carolina Fluck, Olmar Antônio Denardin Costa, Fabio Souza Mendonça, Ricardo Zambarda Vaz
Semina: Ciências Agrárias  vol: 45  issue: 3  first page: 957  year: 2024  
doi: 10.5433/1679-0359.2024v45n3p957

16. Effects of transport stress on physiological responses and milk production in lactating dairy cows
Heeok Hong, Eunchae Lee, In Hyung Lee, Sang-Rak Lee
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences  vol: 32  issue: 3  first page: 442  year: 2019  
doi: 10.5713/ajas.18.0108

17. Effects of Compost-Bedded Pack Barn on Circulating Cortisol and Beta-Endorphins in Dairy Cows: A Case Study
Rosangela Odore, Ilaria Biasato, Giulia Gardini, Antonio D’Angelo, Claudio Bellino
Animals  vol: 11  issue: 11  first page: 3318  year: 2021  
doi: 10.3390/ani11113318

18. Molecular regulation, breed differences and genes involved in stress control in farm animals
S.O. Durosaro, O.S. Iyasere, B.M. Ilori, V.J. Oyeniran, M.O. Ozoje
Domestic Animal Endocrinology  vol: 82  first page: 106769  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2022.106769

19. An overview of the role of sympathetic regulation of immune responses in infectious disease and autoimmunity
Mark J. Bucsek, Thejaswini Giridharan, Cameron R. MacDonald, Bonnie L. Hylander, Elizabeth A. Repasky
International Journal of Hyperthermia  vol: 34  issue: 2  first page: 135  year: 2018  
doi: 10.1080/02656736.2017.1411621

20. Melatonin-induced changes in the bovine vaginal microbiota during maternal nutrient restriction
Riley D Messman, Zully E Contreras-Correa, Henry A Paz, Caleb O Lemley
Journal of Animal Science  vol: 99  issue: 5  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1093/jas/skab098

21. Effect of preshipment preconditioning and injectable antioxidant trace elements (Cu, Mn, Se, Zn) and vitamins (A, E) on plasma metabolite and hormone concentrations and growth in weaned beef cattle
Esteban M Galarza, Raul M Lizarraga, Guillermo A Mattioli, Anthony J Parker, Alejandro E Relling
Translational Animal Science  vol: 5  issue: 1  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1093/tas/txaa233

22. Incidence of morbidity and mortality in calves from birth to six months of age and associated risk factors on dairy farms in Hawassa city, southern Ethiopia
Debele Hordofa, Fufa Abunna, Bekele Megersa, Rahmeto Abebe
Heliyon  vol: 7  issue: 12  first page: e08546  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08546

23. Wolf Presence Disrupts Seasonal Variation in Hair Cortisol Among Free‐Ranging Beef Cattle
Christina M. Nord, Alexander J. Pritchard, Rosemary A. Blersch, Brenda McCowan, Jessica J. Vandeleest, Kenneth W. Tate, Tina L. Saitone
Ecology and Evolution  vol: 16  issue: 4  year: 2026  
doi: 10.1002/ece3.73431

24. Interaction between stress hormones and phagocytic cells and its effect on the health status of dairy cows: A review
Mohanned Naif Alhussien, Ajay Kumar Dang
Veterinary World  vol: 13  issue: 9  first page: 1837  year: 2020  
doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2020.1837-1848

25. Physical Measures of Welfare in Fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and Humpback Whales (Megaptera novangliae) Found in an Anthropized Environment: Validation of a First Animal-Based Indicator in Mysticetes
Anik Boileau, Jonathan Blais, Marie-Françoise Van Bressem, Kathleen E. Hunt, Jamie Ahloy-Dallaire
Animals  vol: 14  issue: 23  first page: 3519  year: 2024  
doi: 10.3390/ani14233519

26. Supplementation of antioxidant micronutrients reduces stress and improves immune function/response in periparturient dairy cows and their calves
Mohanned Naif Alhussien, Sadhana Tiwari, Bibhudatta Samanta Kumar Panda, Yogesh Pandey, Surender Singh Lathwal, Ajay Kumar Dang
Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology  vol: 65  first page: 126718  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2021.126718

27. Music enrichment improves the behavior and leukocyte profile of dairy cattle
Esmeralda G. Contreras-Torres, Juan F. Hernández-Chavez, Carlos A. Díaz-Quiroz, Ramón Molina-Barrios, Paulina Arrayales Millán, Ruth G. Ulloa-Mercado
Open Agriculture  vol: 9  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.1515/opag-2022-0289