Breathprints of the Barn: The Future of Livestock Research and Monitoring with Exhalomics
M. Niu, U. Arshad, M.Z. Islam1, M.A. Barrientos-Blanco, E. Slack, S. Giannoukos, R. Zenobi
Abstract
Exhalomics: advancing noninvasive monitoring in livestock health and welfare
This review highlights exhaled breath analysis (“exhalomics”) as an emerging noninvasive approach for monitoring livestock health, metabolism, and welfare. It synthesizes advances in sampling and analytical techniques, outlining applications in disease detection, nutrition assessment, and physiological and microbial profiling across animal species. Despite promising progress, the field faces challenges in standardization, metabolite identification, and scalability for farm use. The integration of exhalomics with multi-omics and AI-driven analytics is poised to transform precision livestock farming by enabling earlier disease detection, improved productivity, and enhanced animal welfare.