Rising temperatures from climate change increase heat stress in livestock globally; proactive adaptation through housing, breeds, and management reduces suffering during increasingly frequent extreme events.
Climate change is creating a new category of chronic welfare challenge for livestock. Animals bred for high production in temperate climates are increasingly exposed to temperatures that compromise their physiological function and cause measurable suffering. Adaptation requires a combination of short-term management changes (increased water access, shade, reduced stocking density in summer) and longer-term genetic and housing adaptations. Welfare-aware climate adaptation planning for livestock recognizes that heat stress prevention is a welfare imperative as well as a production concern.