Farm Animals

Livestock Welfare and Climate Change

Climate change creates new and intensifying welfare challenges for farm animals through heat stress, disease emergence, and weather extremes that exceed current management capacity.

Key Facts

UK summer temperatures are projected to increase by 1.5-4C by 2080
Heat stress in dairy cows begins at approximately 25C combined with high humidity
Tick-borne diseases are expanding their range as winters become milder
Flooding increasingly threatens housed livestock in lowland areas
Climate adaptation requires proactive infrastructure investment in shade, ventilation, and cooling

Welfare Considerations

Climate change welfare is a growing threat that makes existing welfare management inadequate in new conditions. Housing, ventilation systems, and management protocols designed for historical climate conditions increasingly fail during extreme weather events. Heat mortality events in poultry and pig housing have become more frequent. The welfare obligation of livestock farmers includes adapting to changing climate conditions proactively.

What You Can Do

Support agricultural policy that funds climate adaptation in livestock systems
Choose food from producers who demonstrate climate resilience planning
Advocate for welfare standards that include climate adaptation requirements
Support research into climate-adaptive livestock breeds and management systems