The Effect of Early-Life Stress on the Welfare and Performance of Animals
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Welfare".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 134
Special Issue Editor
Interests: stress and environmental physiology; sow housing; maternal-fetal interaction; prenatal stress; effects of the environment on immune status, behavior, well-being of swine and other livestock
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Early life stress in animals can adversely affect behavior, physiology, health, and overall well-being, particularly when it occurs during critical, vulnerable phases of life. This is due to intricate biological processes that are shaped by a mix of genetic, epigenetic, maternal, and environmental influences. The perinatal phase is particularly significant in determining how individuals respond to their surroundings. The timing of early-life stress thus plays a crucial role in shaping long-term outcomes. It has the potential to modify the sensitivity of the stress response both in the short and long term, making an animal more susceptible to stress later in life and having enduring effects on an organism's adaptability and overall fitness. Stress is an intrinsic part of existence, and the capacity of animals, particularly livestock and poultry, to cope with stress-inducing factors is vital for their survival. Prenatal stress can influence fetal development and set the stage for the physiology and behavior of the offspring in later life, impacting their immunological, behavioral, and stress resilience.
We welcome original research papers that address any aspect of prenatal and postnatal stress, considering both the short-term and long-term effects on animal growth, reproduction, productivity, health, and welfare. We especially welcome papers that integrate physiological metrics with behavioral and immunological factors and proteomics; investigate stress-mediated effects on gut microbiota and immune function; examine the long-term consequences of prenatal and postnatal stress; and identify mechanisms and/or biomarkers associated with an animal's ability to adapt.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Janeen L. Salak-Johnson
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- farm animals
- early life stress
- perinatal phase
- gut microbiota
- biomarkers
- adaptability
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