Heat stress is a major welfare and productivity challenge for cattle globally, intensifying with climate change and affecting millions of animals in both intensive and extensive systems.
Heat-stressed cattle show reduced activity, increased respiration rate, and reduced lying time as they seek to cool themselves. Chronic heat stress causes physiological suffering and impairs welfare across multiple domains. High-yielding dairy cows are most vulnerable because they generate more metabolic heat. Providing adequate shade and cooling is not only a welfare requirement but improves reproduction and production. As temperatures rise, this issue will affect more animals in more regions.