Lateralised Behavioural Responses in Livestock to Environmental Stressors: Implications for Using Infrared Thermography to Assess Welfare Conditions.
Authors: Goma Amira A, Uddin Jashim, Kieson Emily
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Asymmetrical brain function in livestock means that animals process familiar and novel environmental challenges through different hemispheres, manifesting as lateralised behavioural responses that reflect their emotional state and welfare status. Goma and colleagues reviewed evidence from cattle and horses showing how visual lateralisation (eye preference), motor lateralisation (limb preference), and forced lateralisation tests can quantify stress responses to environmental stressors, restraint, and invasive procedures—contexts where traditional behavioural observation alone may be incomplete or impractical. The research highlights a promising correlation between these lateralised responses and infrared thermography measurements from thermally sensitive areas such as the eye region and coronary bands, offering practitioners a non-invasive, objective tool for welfare assessment. For farriers, vets, and handlers working with horses during shoeing, treatment, or training, combining behavioural lateralisation patterns with thermal imaging could improve real-time detection of stress and guide intervention strategies before welfare compromises occur. Integrating these two assessment approaches—observable asymmetrical behaviour alongside measurable surface temperature changes—provides a more robust framework for identifying animals requiring additional support or modified handling protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Non-invasive infrared thermography of eye and limb surfaces offers a practical complementary tool for assessing stress responses and welfare in livestock without requiring direct handling
- •Observing side preferences and motor lateralisation during routine movement can provide behavioral indicators of how animals are responding to their environment and management practices
- •Integrating behavioral lateralisation assessment with thermal imaging data may enable earlier detection of stress and guide targeted husbandry interventions to improve farm animal welfare
Key Findings
- •Lateralised behavioral responses are controlled by asymmetrical brain functions, with left hemisphere processing familiar conditions and right hemisphere responding to novel stimuli
- •Forced lateralisation, side preference tests, and limb preference during movement can be used to determine visual and motor lateralisation in livestock
- •Infrared thermography of external body surfaces (eyes and coronary bands) correlates with lateralised behavioral responses to environmental stressors
- •Combined assessment of lateralised behavioral responses and infrared temperature measurements provides a non-invasive approach to evaluating animal welfare conditions