title: Milk cortisol response to group relocation in lactating cows.
abstract: The aim of the study reported in this Research Communication was to analyse the variations of milk cortisol concentrations in response to the relocation of dairy cows between production groups. Milk cortisol measured during 3 consecutive days did not vary significantly in cows without environmental perturbation. However, relocation of cows caused a significant increase of cortisol in milk starting from the first milking after the group change. This suggests that cortisol in milk can be a suitable biomarker to assess the HPA response of dairy cows to a short/medium-term environmental challenge.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari,Ambientali e Animali,Università di Udine,via delle Scienze 208,33100 Udine,Italy.
authors.forename: Nataliya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pošćić
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata ed Alimentazione,Università di Padova,viale dell'Università 16,35020 Legnaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabai
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari,Ambientali e Animali,Università di Udine,via delle Scienze 208,33100 Udine,Italy.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stefanon
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata ed Alimentazione,Università di Padova,viale dell'Università 16,35020 Legnaro,Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Da Dalt
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari,Ambientali e Animali,Università di Udine,via delle Scienze 208,33100 Udine,Italy.
authors.forename: Sandy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sgorlon
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003612:Dairying; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Dairy cow; intra-day variation; mild stressor; milk cortisol; relocation