title: Welfare implication of measuring heart rate and heart rate variability in dairy cattle: literature review and conclusions for future research.
abstract: Heart rate (HR) measurements have been used to determine stress in livestock species since the beginning of the 1970s. However, according to the latest studies in veterinary and behaviour-physiological sciences, heart rate variability (HRV) proved to be more precise for studying the activity of the autonomic nervous system. In dairy cattle, HR and HRV indices have been used to detect stress caused by routine management practices, pain or milking. This review provides the significance of HR and HRV measurements in dairy cattle by summarising current knowledge and research results in this area. First, the biological background and the interrelation of the autonomic regulation of cardiovascular function, stress, HR and HRV are discussed. Equipment and methodological approaches developed to measure interbeat intervals and estimate HRV in dairy cattle are described. The methods of HRV analysis in time, frequency and non-linear domains are also explained in detail emphasising their physiological background. Finally, the most important scientific results and potential possibilities for future research are presented.
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Animal Science, Department of Cattle and Sheep Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2103, Hungary.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Animal Hygiene, Herd Health and Veterinary Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Szent István University, Budapest, István u. 2, H-1078, Hungary.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jurkovich
authors.affiliation: 4 Rumino-Vet Bt, Érd, Csillés u. 2, H-2030, Hungary.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakony
authors.affiliation: 2 HAS-SZIU Large Animal Clinical Research Group, Ullo-Dora major, H-2225, Hungary.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Szenci
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Animal Science, Department of Cattle and Sheep Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2103, Hungary.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Póti
authors.affiliation: 1 Institute of Animal Science, Department of Cattle and Sheep Breeding, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Science, Szent István University, Gödöllő, Páter Károly u. 1, H-2103, Hungary.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tőzsér
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D003612:Dairying / Q000379:methods*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D011674:Pulse / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*