Heat stress is one of the most economically and welfare-significant challenges facing dairy and beef cattle production as global temperatures rise. Understanding the physiology and management of heat stress is increasingly important.
Heat stress in cattle is a welfare issue that is currently underestimated in temperate regions because severe events have historically been rare. As climate change shifts temperature distributions, the frequency and severity of heat stress events will increase across previously mild farming regions. Proactive investment in shade structures, ventilation systems and cooling infrastructure is both a welfare commitment and an economic protection. Consumer pressure for supply chains to demonstrate climate adaptation planning — including heat stress management — creates market incentives alongside regulatory drivers.