Livestock Heat Stress: Climate Change and Farm Animal Welfare

Rising temperatures driven by climate change are increasingly causing heat stress in farm animals, reducing welfare, productivity, and increasing mortality. Addressing livestock heat stress is both a welfare and agricultural priority.

Key Facts

Heat stress costs the US livestock industry an estimated .4 billion annually in production losses
Dairy cows begin experiencing heat stress at temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius with high humidity
Pigs are highly susceptible to heat stress due to limited thermoregulation ability -- they cannot sweat effectively
Broiler chickens show increased mortality when barn temperatures exceed 35 degrees Celsius
Heat stress during gestation causes smaller, weaker piglets with higher pre-weaning mortality
Climate projections suggest heat stress events will increase in frequency and severity in major livestock regions
Shade, ventilation, cooling systems, and water provision can significantly reduce heat stress mortality

Welfare Considerations

Livestock heat stress is a welfare crisis that is worsening with climate change. Animals in intensive systems with limited space for shade and airflow are most vulnerable -- they cannot escape the heat and may be dependent entirely on mechanical cooling that can fail during peak demand or power outages. The welfare symptoms of heat stress include panting, reduced feeding, lethargy, and in severe cases, death. Climate adaptation for livestock welfare requires both engineering solutions -- better ventilation, cooling, shade -- and longer-term changes to production systems that reduce dependence on thermal environments animals cannot tolerate.

What You Can Do

Advocate for mandatory cooling requirements in livestock housing regulations updated for climate projections
Support research into heat-tolerant livestock breeds and breeds better suited to warmer production environments
Choose products from producers that have invested in climate-adaptive welfare infrastructure
Push for emergency response protocols for livestock during extreme heat events including mandatory checks
Support the inclusion of livestock heat stress in national climate adaptation planning