Heat stress in dairy and beef cattle causes significant welfare problems, reduced productivity, and increased disease risk — and is worsening as climate change increases temperature extremes.
Heat stress causes genuine physiological suffering in cattle — elevated core body temperature, increased respiratory rate, reduced blood flow to digestive organs, and suppressed immune function that increases disease susceptibility. Cows that are heat-stressed stand in water, seek shade, cluster near fans, and reduce feed intake in attempts to regulate temperature. In the absence of adequate cooling infrastructure, they are forced to endure ongoing thermal discomfort that worsens throughout hot days. The combination of welfare harm and productivity loss creates aligned incentives for cooling investment, yet many operations lack adequate cooling infrastructure.