As global temperatures rise, the welfare of livestock in tropical and subtropical regions faces intensifying heat stress challenges that require both breed selection and management adaptations.
Heat stress in livestock causes genuine suffering through hyperthermia, panting distress, reduced feed intake and secondary immune suppression. For dairy cows in tropical climates, heat stress is a chronic welfare condition experienced across most of the year. The selection of European high-production breeds for tropical environments without adequate cooling infrastructure creates predictable welfare problems. Welfare-conscious approaches to tropical livestock farming combine breed selection for heat tolerance, appropriate infrastructure including shade and water, and management practices timed to avoid peak heat periods. As climate change shifts thermal stress zones, adapting livestock production to regional thermal conditions becomes increasingly urgent for both welfare and productivity.