Review of Evaluating Stress, Immunity, and Growth Performance of Beef Cattle Under Intensive Farming Systems
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34145/ivas.v1i1.3870Keywords:
Animal Welfare, Beef Cattle Stress, Growth Performance, Immune Response, SustainabilityAbstract
Intensive beef cattle farming systems are used to increase efficiency in meat production. However, these systems often cause animal welfare issues. Pressure from pen density, management practices, and environmental conditions can cause stress that directly impacts the health and growth of livestock. This article discusses the relationship between physiological stress levels, immune responses, and beef cattle growth in intensive systems, as well as the importance of proper management to support the sustainability of beef cattle farming. From previous studies, stress can be observed through increased cortisol hormone levels and changes in animal behavior. Immune responses can be determined through white blood cell counts, antibody levels, and vaccination effectiveness. Growth is usually assessed using parameters such as average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and body condition score (BCS). Research also shows that high stress is negatively associated with the immune system, as seen in decreased antibodies and changes in blood profiles. In addition, high cortisol levels cause decreased food consumption, metabolic disorders, decreased feed efficiency, and decreased weight gain. In conclusion, management that prioritizes animal welfare, such as regulate stocking density, providing high-quality feed, and controlling stress, is a key factor.
Downloads
References
Ayemele, A. G., Oloruntola, O. D., & Agbede, J. O. (2021). Antioxidant supplementation as a strategy to reduce oxidative stress in feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, 105(6), 1304–1315. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13594
Baraa, R. A., Al-Rubaie, M. S., & Al-Khafaji, A. H. (2025). Chronic cortisol elevation and immune suppression in intensively reared cattle. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, 272, 111780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2025. 111780
Dahl, G. E., Tao, S., & Laporta, J. (2020). Heat stress impacts on lactating cows: A review. Journal of Dairy Science, 103(6), 5740–5751.
Garcia-Torres, S., Cabezas, A., & Tejerina, D. (2021). Physiological stress biomarkers and their relationship to meat quality in beef cattle. Meat Science, 181, 108609.
Gouvêa, V. N., Leme, P. R., Pereira, A. S. C., & Tullio, R. R. (2022). Stress physiology and its impact on feed efficiency in beef cattle under confinement. Livestock Science, 259, 104877.
Handayani, M., & Yusuf, M. A. (2025). Physiological and biochemical indicators of chronic stress in tropical beef cattle. Indonesian Journal of Animal Bioscience, 7(2), 88–97. https://doi.org/10.22146/ijab.2025.1524
Hartono, A., & Lestari, D. W. (2025). Integrating animal welfare and production performance in intensive cattle systems. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 38(4), 650–662. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.25.00312
Huang, X., Zhang, L., & Zhao, J. (2023). Selenium and vitamin E synergistically enhance antioxidant capacity and immune function in beef cattle. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, 1156498.
Kim, W. S., Lee, J. S., & Park, S. H. (2021). Behavioral and physiological responses of beef cattle to heat stress under intensive rearing. Animals, 11(9), 2645. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092645
Knezevic, I., Vujanovic, D., & Andjelkovic, J. (2023). Stress physiology and endocrine adaptation in beef cattle production. Animals, 13(12), 2034.
Lu, L., Zhang, Q., & Zhu, R. (2018). Effect of pre-slaughter stress on muscle glycogen depletion and meat quality in cattle. Meat Science, 145, 207–214.
Maulana, A., & Sari, N. (2025). Oxidative stress and antioxidant response in beef cattle during transportation and feedlot conditions. Tropical Animal Science Journal, 48(1), 55– 67. https://doi.org/10.5398/tasj.2025.48.1. 55
Megahed, A. A., Gad, A. Y., & El-Sayed, A. (2023). Cortisol-mediated metabolic shifts in stressed beef cattle and their effects on productivity. Journal of Animal Science, 101(3), skad056. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skad056
Otten, W., Puppe, B., & Kanitz, E. (2023). Neuroendocrine regulation of growth and stress adaptation in cattle. Domestic Animal Endocrinology, 83, 106859. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2023.106859
Pagliasso, E., Marchesini, G., & Andrighetto, I. (2023). The impact of stress on blood parameters and inflammatory markers in beef cattle. Veterinary Research Communications, 47, 557–571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-023-10033-4
Prasetyo, R., & Rahayu, S. (2024). Effects of stocking density and ventilation on physiological stress responses in feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Research and Production, 12(2), 77–86. https://doi.org/10.24843/jarp.2024.12.02.77
Shabtay, A. (2025). Welfare-oriented handling practices and stress reduction in cattle production. Frontiers in Animal Science, 4, 1342579.
Siregar, R., & Alam, M. (2024). Behavioral and physiological indicators of welfare in intensively managed cattle. Indonesian Journal of Animal Husbandry, 9(1), 15– 24. https://doi.org/10.1234/ijah.2024.015
Utami, N. W., & Kurniawan, T. (2024). Pre- slaughter handling stress and its effect on meat quality in tropical beef cattle. Veterinary World, 17(5), 1032–1040. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2024.1032-1040
Wein, S., Fisher, A., & Beausoleil, N. J. (2024). Environmental enrichment improves welfare and productivity in confined ruminants. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 267, 105868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2024.105868
Widodo, A., Kurnia, H., & Darmawan, I. (2023). Microclimate control and welfare assessment of beef cattle under tropical intensive systems. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 55, 371. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-023-03717-9
Handayani, M., & Yusuf, M. A. (2025). Physiological and biochemical indicators of chronic stress in tropical beef cattle. Indonesian Journal of Animal Bioscience, 7(2), 88–97. https://doi.org/10.22146/ijab.2025.1524
Hartono, A., & Lestari, D. W. (2025). Integrating animal welfare and production performance in intensive cattle systems. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 38(4), 650–662. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.25.00312
Maulana, A., & Sari, N. (2025). Oxidative stress and antioxidant response in beef cattle during transportation and feedlot conditions. Tropical Animal Science Journal, 48(1), 55–67. https://doi.org/10.5398/tasj.2025.48.1.55
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aulia Rahmatulaili, Wardani, A. Y, Arlana, D. R. P, Hidayatulloh, E. S., Saputra, R. D, Wijoyo, I. A, Nurdianti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
