Livestock Heat Stress: Welfare in a Warming Climate

Climate change is intensifying heat stress in farm animals globally, threatening both welfare and productivity in species adapted to cooler climates.

Key Facts

Dairy cows begin experiencing heat stress at 21-25°C depending on humidity — temperatures increasingly common globally
Heat stress reduces feed intake, milk production, fertility, and immune function in cattle simultaneously
Pigs are highly susceptible to heat stress and can die within hours of exposure to extreme temperatures without shade and water
Evaporative cooling, shade provision, and increased water access are effective heat stress mitigation measures
Indoor intensive housing without mechanical cooling may become welfare-incompatible in many regions as temperatures rise
Broiler chickens with rapid-growth respiratory limitations are especially vulnerable to heat-related mortality in summer

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress represents a growing welfare challenge across farm animal species as climate change extends and intensifies summer temperature extremes. For animals already physiologically compromised by breeding for production traits — broilers with respiratory limitations, high-yielding dairy cows — additional thermal burden creates acute welfare risk. Farm adaptation to climate change must include welfare-focused heat management: adequate shade, cooling systems, ventilation, and water access as minimum provisions. Planning for heat resilience in farm infrastructure is now a welfare imperative, not merely a productivity consideration.

What You Can Do

Support farm welfare certification that includes climate adaptation and heat stress management requirements
Advocate for building regulations requiring adequate ventilation and cooling in new livestock housing
Donate to research organizations studying heat-resilient breeding programs for major farm animal species
Ask food producers and retailers about heat stress management protocols in their supply chain farms