Melatonin in Livestock Production Bridging Chronobiology Health, and Sustainable Outcomes

Jun 18, 2026The Journal of nutrition

Melatonin’s Role in Animal Farming: Linking Body Clocks, Health, and Sustainability

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Melatonin supplementation may improve livestock performance through various physiological benefits.

Melatonin is produced in the pineal gland and peripheral tissues, influencing circadian rhythms and various physiological processes in livestock.
It has antioxidant properties that help to neutralize harmful reactive oxygen and nitrogen species while enhancing protective enzymes.
Melatonin shows immunomodulatory effects by increasing levels of interleukin-2 and Interferon-gamma, and decreasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6.
Positive impacts on livestock include improved growth performance, reproductive health, and stress mitigation.
Species-specific dosage recommendations are suggested, such as 5-15 mg/day for pigs and 30-50 mg/day for cattle.

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Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a phylogenetically ancient hormone synthesized primarily in the pineal gland in response to light-dark cycles, where it regulates circadian rhythms, but it is also produced in peripheral tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract. In livestock, melatonin extends beyond chronobiology to modulate immune function, reproduction, metabolism, and adaptation to environmental stressors such as heat, transport, and high production intensity. This review consolidates current knowledge on melatonin's application in animal nutrition, tracing from its discovery and biosynthesis to its receptor-mediated signaling (MT1, MT2). The core analysis examines melatonin's dietary sources, including cereal grains, legumes, oilseeds, and forages, and supplementation strategies across livestock species. Key physiological benefits include potent antioxidant properties (scavenging reactive oxygen and nitrogen species while upregulating superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase) and immunomodulatory capacity (increasing interleukin-2 (IL-2) and Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), decreasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) via nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway inhibition). A dedicated synthesis of effects on livestock performance reveals benefits for growth performance, reproductive health (estrus synchronization, sperm quality, conception rates), and stress mitigation across species. The review provides species-specific dosage recommendations (e.g., 5-15 mg/day for pigs, 1-2 mg/day for poultry, 30-50 mg/day for cattle), delivery methods (feed, water, implants). By integrating fundamental mechanisms with applied nutritional outcomes, this work highlights melatonin's significant potential as a multifunctional nutraceutical to enhance productivity, health, welfare, and sustainability in modern livestock production systems.

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Melatonin in Livestock Production Bridging Chronobiology Health, and Sustainable Outcomes

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