Heat stress in cattle causes billions in losses annually and serious animal suffering. As temperatures rise, proactive management is increasingly essential for both welfare and productivity.
Heat stress is one of the most common and preventable sources of suffering in cattle production. Affected animals experience rapid breathing, reduced feed intake, lethargy, and ultimately organ failure in severe cases. Subclinical heat stress — common across much of the US and Europe during summer — causes suffering without obvious clinical signs, suppresses immunity, and impairs reproductive performance. Climate change is extending both the geographic range and seasonal duration of heat stress events, making proactive management infrastructure increasingly essential.