Livestock production in tropical and subtropical climates faces severe heat stress challenges that cause chronic suffering and production losses, with climate change making these problems progressively worse across the global south.
Livestock in tropical climates endure chronic heat stress that compromises their welfare continuously throughout the year. The suffering is not dramatic and acute like a disease outbreak but is instead a persistent background condition that impairs every aspect of the animal's physiology and behaviour. As climate change intensifies heat extremes in tropical regions, this already-significant welfare problem will worsen substantially. Addressing it requires both immediate practical measures — shade, water, breed selection — and longer-term systemic responses including climate-resilient genetics and potential reductions in livestock density in the most vulnerable regions.