How extreme weather events affect livestock welfare, what emergency preparedness looks like for farmers, and the role of policy.
Extreme weather events create acute welfare emergencies for livestock that are often invisible to the general public. During heat waves, high-density confinement operations can see massive mortality from heat stress and failure of cooling systems. Flooding can strand animals for days without feed or veterinary care. Drought forces emergency destocking decisions that often involve poor welfare outcomes. Preparedness planning is critical: farms with emergency protocols, backup power, and water supplies save far more animals during crises than those without. The increasing frequency of climate extremes makes this a growing welfare priority.