Feeding cattle hemp may lower their stress levels, according to study

A study published by Kansas State University says it may be beneficial to feed your herd industrial hemp. Their research shows a decrease in stress and an increase in time the cattle are lying down.

The study, “Short-term feeding of industrial hemp with a high cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) content increases lying behavior and reduces biomarkers of stress and inflammation in Holstein steers,” focused on the effects seen in Holstein steers and determined that repeated daily doses of CBDA do not result in an accumulation of cannabinoids in blood, which means they don’t linger in the meat. This solidified previous research that each type of cannabinoid has a unique absorption and elimination rate. 

Michael Kleinhenz, assistant professor of beef production medicine at Kansas State University and author of this study, says the hemp not only may decrease stress indicators, but it also encourages animals to lie down, which helps cattle ruminate and produce saliva.

“Cattle experience a variety of stressors and inflammation,” says Kleinhenz. “Our most recent data shows how cannabinoids via industrial hemp decreased the stress hormone cortisol as well as the inflammatory biomarker prostaglandin E2. This shows that hemp containing CBDA may decrease stress and inflammation in cattle. Thus, hemp may be a natural way to decrease stress and inflammation related to production practices such as transportation and weaning.”

Kleinhenz noted that the research could be essential should industrial hemp and its by-products be considered by the Food and Drug Administration and the Association of American Feed Control Officials. 

“Further work is needed to determine if cannabinoids can alter the stress response in cattle during stressful times such as transportation and weaning, but we hope this research is a step forward in the right direction,” he says.