A Retrospective Literature Evaluation of the Integration of Stress Physiology Indices, Animal Welfare and Climate Change Assessment of Livestock

Abstract

In this retrospective study, we conducted a desktop-based analysis of published literature using the ScienceDirect™ search engine to determine the proportion of livestock research within the last 7 years (2015–2021) that have applied animal welfare assessment combining objective measures of physiological stress and evaluation of climate change factors in order to provide an account of livestock productivity. From the search results, 563 published articles were reviewed. We found that the majority of the literature had discussed animal production outcomes (n = 491) and animal welfare (n = 453) either individually or in conjunction with another topic. The most popular occurrence was the combination of animal welfare assessment, objective measures of stress physiology and production outcomes discussed collectively (n = 218). We found that only 125 articles had discussed the impact of climate change (22.20%) on livestock production and/or vice versa. Furthermore, only 9.4% (n = 53) of articles had discussed all four factors and published research was skewed towards the dairy sector. Overall, this retrospective paper highlights that although research into animal welfare assessment, objective measures of stress and climate change has been applied across livestock production systems (monogastrics and ruminants), there remains a shortfall of investigation on how these key factors interact to influence livestock production. Furthermore, emerging technologies that can boost the quantitative evaluation of animal welfare are needed for both intensive and extensive production systems.

Role of Topical Anaesthesia in Pain Management of Farm Animals, a Changing Paradigm

“…It offers important socioeconomic benefits for improved community resilience in poor rural communities and potentially enables reduced GHGes, by as much as 30% [ 2 ]. A recent analysis examined the proportion of published articles in livestock research (n = 563) within the period 2015–2021 that conducted animal welfare assessments that combined objective measures of physiological stress and evaluation of climate change factors in relation to livestock productivity [ 51 ]. The report identified that, although research into animal welfare assessment, objective measures of stress and climate change has been applied across both monogastric and ruminant livestock production systems, there is a shortfall of investigations on how these key factors interact to influence livestock production and the emerging technologies that can boost the quantitative evaluation of animal welfare in both intensive and extensive production systems [ 51 ].…”

Provision of High-Quality Molasses Blocks to Improve Productivity and Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Smallholder Cattle and Buffalo in Developing Countries

“…In addition to addressing climate change concerns of large and small ruminant production, renewed attention is required for improved animal welfare in developing livestock systems [9,46] and have them increasingly aligned with current global animal welfare strategies [46][47][48]. A recent analysis examined the proportion of published articles in livestock research (n=563) within the period of 2015-2021, that have conducted animal welfare assessments combining objective measures of physiological stress and evaluation of climate change factors in relation to livestock productivity [49]. The review identified that although research into animal welfare assessment, objective measures of stress and climate change has been applied across both monogastric and ruminant livestock production systems, there is a shortfall of investigations on how these key factors interact to influence livestock production and the emerging technologies that can boost the quantitative evaluation of animal welfare in both intensive and extensive production systems.…”

“…Access to MNB's to increase productivity, accompanied by targeted health preventive strategies (e.g., vaccination, MNB's) to reduce disease risk, are considered most likely to drive the practice change urgently required. Further, perhaps the more recent recognition that linkage of the SDG's with animal welfare can assist, with opinion that improving animal welfare would contribute positively to the achievement of the SDG's and similarly, achieving the SDG's, would help improve animal welfare [49]. Hopefully, there is an awakening occurring in the post-pandemic era that One Health should be a collaborative priority for all medical and veterinary health authorities and that this may create a more receptive environment for the change management required in progressing both animal health and welfare through productivity innovations, assisting GHGe mitigation from the currently inefficient livestock systems, particularly in developing countries.…”

Biomarkers and biosensors for the diagnosis of noncompliant pH, dark cutting beef predisposition, and welfare in cattle

“…As a result, increased cortisol may still be observed after removal of the stress or may not be observed if the animal is experiencing acute stress directly following the stressful event, making cortisol measurements for preslaughter stress determination at the abattoir less promis-ing. In addition, there is consensus that "measurement of cortisol alone, lacks scientific robustness as an evaluation of welfare" (Narayan et al, 2021). Moreover, plasma and saliva cortisol levels may not correlate with chronic stress since cortisol levels often return to baseline under chronic stress via negative glucocorticoid feedback in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.…”