Summary
This critical review synthesises evidence on the use of stress biomarkers as diagnostic and monitoring tools for assessing animal welfare status in meat production systems. The authors examine the physiological and biochemical indicators of stress and their correlations with meat quality traits, suggesting that biomarker assessment may support welfare-centred management practices. As a review article, it appears to conclude that integrating stress biomarker monitoring into production systems could improve both animal welfare outcomes and product quality, though the specificity and applicability of individual biomarkers across species and contexts warrants further standardisation.
UK applicability
The review's findings are relevant to UK livestock production, particularly given the UK's focus on higher welfare standards and premium meat markets. However, the applicability depends on whether the biomarkers reviewed are validated across UK-relevant breeds, housing systems, and transport conditions; additional field validation in UK farms may be needed.
Key measures
Stress biomarkers (cortisol, catecholamines, acute phase proteins, oxidative stress markers); meat quality parameters (pH, colour, tenderness, water-holding capacity, microbial load); animal welfare indicators
Outcomes reported
This critical review examined the relationship between stress biomarkers (physiological and biochemical indicators) and animal welfare status, as well as their effects on meat quality parameters. The study synthesised evidence on how stress assessment tools can be used to monitor and improve welfare conditions in meat-producing animals.
Topic tags
Dig deeper with Pulse AI.
Pulse AI has read the whole catalogue. Ask about this record, its theme, or how the findings apply to UK farming and policy — every answer cites the underlying studies.