The aim of this work was to define the endocrinological and neurological basis of the stress response and its importance for the organism, to explain the physiological basis of the performance of noninvasive methods for hormone determination, to provide an overview of the methods of noninvasive stress determination in animals, and to explain the advantages and disadvantages of these methods. After searching and studying professional and scientific literature, we have come to the conclusion that farm animals are frequently exposed to stressful situations due to the way they are kept and handled. Recognition of stress in farm animals is of critical importance, not only from an animal welfare standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint. When used and performed correctly, non-invasive methods are a good alternative to invasive methods, as they do not cause additional stress to the animals and therefore provide reliable results and allow a realistic assessment of stress.
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