Evaluation of Hair Characteristics and Animal Age on the Impact of Hair Cortisol Concentration in Feedlot Steers

Hair cortisol is a novel biomarker of chronic stress. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of hair color and length, as well as, animal age on hair cortisol concentration in beef feedlot steers. Nineteen beef crossbred steers used for nutrition research and housed in a small feedlot setting were used for this study. Seven of the steers (680 ± 4.5 kg; ~9 years of age) were fitted with ruminal fistulas and duodenal cannulas. The...