Correlation between cortisol levels in serum, hair and feces in the dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius)

Unlike in many other mammals, the analysis of cortisol in camels is very rare in feces and absent in the hair. The objective of this study was thus to determine cortisol levels in serum, hair and feces in the camel, and to determine their possible correlation. The results showed that cortisol levels varied with the season and were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in January than in May/June. A positive correlation between the levels in serum and those analyzed in hair and feces was recorded. This correlation indicates that the analysis of cortisol in the hair and feces reflects the activity of the adrenal cortex and could be used as a non-invasive method to assess stress in camels