Farmed Animals

Cold Stress in Animals: Prevention and Welfare Management

Cold stress affects livestock and wildlife significantly; welfare-conscious management reduces cold-related suffering in both domestic and wild animals.

Key Facts

Newborn lambs and calves are highly vulnerable to hypothermia in the first hours of life
Beef cattle show reduced feed intake and productivity in temperatures below minus 20 Celsius
Poultry housed in poorly insulated buildings suffer significant cold stress in winter
Wind chill dramatically increases effective cold stress beyond temperature alone

Welfare Considerations

Cold stress in animals causes physiological strain, reduced immunity, and in severe cases hypothermia and death. Newborn farm animals are particularly vulnerable, requiring dry shelter and colostrum within the first hours of life. Wild animals cope through physiological adaptation but face increasing unpredictability from climate change disrupting normal cold weather patterns.

What You Can Do

Ensure livestock have adequate windbreaks and dry bedding in cold weather
Provide supplementary nutrition during cold periods to offset thermoregulatory costs
Monitor newborns in cold weather closely for signs of hypothermia
Advocate for minimum shelter standards in livestock welfare legislation