ARTICLE
Heart rate variability as a measure of dairy calf welfare
Chronic pain or stress in farm animals impacts both their welfare and productivity1. Measuring chronic pain or stress can be problematic using hormonal or behavioural changes because hormones are modulated by homeostatic mechanisms and observed behaviour can be highly subjective. Heart rate variability (HRV) may quantify chronic pain or stress in farmed animal and represents a more robust and objective measure of their welfare.