TLDR High hair cortisol levels indicate stress in cows due to poor shelter conditions and health issues.
The study investigated hair cortisol concentrations in 540 sheltered cows and their association with various welfare indicators. Higher hair cortisol levels were significantly correlated with poorer welfare indicators, such as dirtiness, joint injuries, lesions, and dehydration, suggesting that hair cortisol could be a reliable biomarker for assessing long-term stress and overall welfare in cows. Environmental factors like the presence of dung in lying areas increased cortisol levels, while access to yards and higher dry bulb temperatures decreased them. The study concluded that hair cortisol is an effective biomarker for assessing chronic stress in cows under field conditions.
296 citations
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October 2018 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol is a reliable way to measure long-term stress in animals.
118 citations
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October 2014 in “Journal of Dairy Science” Tail switch hair is best for measuring cortisol in Holstein cows, with white hair and multiparous cows showing higher levels.
28 citations
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May 2014 in “PubMed” Higher stress levels may be linked to hair loss in rhesus macaques.
106 citations
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January 2013 in “Clinical and Developmental Immunology” Alopecia areata is caused by immune system attacks on hair follicles, often triggered by viral infections.
61 citations
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September 2010 in “Journal of Dermatological Science” Stress hormones and autoimmune reactions can cause hair loss.
501 citations
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October 2008 in “Psychoneuroendocrinology” Hair cortisol levels can show increased stress during late pregnancy but only for up to six months.
89 citations
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December 1998 in “The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology” Human hair can be used to measure reproductive hormones.
296 citations
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October 2018 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol is a reliable way to measure long-term stress in animals.
July 2025 in “International Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprosy Sciences” Higher stress levels may worsen alopecia areata, suggesting stress management is important for treatment.
7 citations
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October 2015 in “American Journal of Primatology” Monkeys with hair loss during pregnancy showed higher stress hormone levels and invested differently in their offspring.
5 citations
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January 2021 in “PeerJ” Elephant tail-hair can show past stress levels, matching times when stressful events happened.
2 citations
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May 2021 in “Scientific Reports” Stress is likely causing hair loss in Formosan macaques.
