Hair Cortisol in Sheltered Cows and Its Association with Other Welfare Indicators

The study assessed the welfare of cows in 54 shelters across India by measuring hair cortisol levels in 540 samples. High hair cortisol concentrations, indicating stress, were linked to poor shelter conditions such as dung in lying areas, low temperatures, and limited yard access. At the individual cow level, stress was associated with dirty flanks, joint injuries, body lesions, dehydration, empty rumens, old age, and low body hair loss. The findings suggested that hair cortisol is a promising biomarker for stress in cows under field conditions.