Welfare Science

Pre-Slaughter Stress Biomarkers in Livestock

Developing reliable biomarkers for pre-slaughter stress enables objective measurement of animal welfare in abattoirs, supporting welfare monitoring and improvement.

Key Facts

Cortisol, lactate, and acute phase proteins are established stress biomarkers
Skin temperature and eye temperature can be measured non-invasively
Pre-slaughter handling accounts for a significant proportion of meat quality losses
Welfare-compromised animals show elevated biomarker levels before slaughter
Rapid biomarker testing could enable real-time welfare monitoring at point of slaughter

Welfare Considerations

Measuring pre-slaughter stress objectively is essential to identify and address welfare problems in the slaughter chain. Many animals experience significant stress in lairage and during handling that is currently difficult to quantify. Better monitoring tools enable evidence-based improvement.

What You Can Do

Support research into rapid pre-slaughter welfare assessment technologies
Advocate for welfare monitoring requirements in abattoir licensing
Choose meat certified under schemes with pre-slaughter welfare standards
Support investment in low-stress slaughter facility design
Share information about the relationship between animal welfare and food quality