Heat stress is an increasing welfare threat to farmed animals globally as temperatures rise, causing physiological distress, reduced productivity and preventable deaths.
Heat stress causes genuine suffering in farm animals, ranging from discomfort and anxiety to acute physiological crisis and death. As climate change intensifies heatwave frequency and severity, this welfare threat will grow. Producers in temperate regions increasingly need cooling infrastructure previously considered necessary only in hot climates. Welfare regulations must evolve to reflect these changing conditions and require adequate heat abatement measures.