Brown Emma J, Vosloo Andre
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus.
Onderstepoort J Vet Res. 2017 Apr 28;84(1):e1-e9. doi: 10.4102/ojvr.v84i1.1398.
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.
由于养殖方式带来的压力，养牛业的集约化引发了对动物福利的关注。动物的福利取决于其应对或适应不断变化的环境的能力，以及与这种适应和维持相关的生理成本。由于管理以及人与牛的互动，应激源来自养殖方式的各种心理、生理和物理方面。用血浆皮质醇水平测量下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺皮质（HPA）轴的活性是确定应激对动物影响的一种有用方法，因为它在感知到应激开始时就会被激活。HPA轴的激活会影响各种靶组织或系统，并可能导致免疫系统受到抑制、疾病易感性增加以及对产前和新生小牛的繁殖成功率产生不利影响。尽管与养殖方式相关的一定程度的应激是不可避免的，但需要改进养殖方法，以便在不损害动物福利的前提下维持或提高养牛生产的效率。
