Livestock Heat Stress and Climate Welfare

Climate change is intensifying heat stress in livestock, creating escalating welfare crises for billions of farmed animals.

Key Facts

Heat stress costs the US livestock industry over $2.4 billion annually and causes significant animal suffering
Dairy cows experience heat stress above 25 degrees Celsius, reducing milk production and immune function
Pigs and poultry, lacking functional sweat glands, are particularly vulnerable to heat-related mortality
Climate change is expanding the geographic range and severity of heat stress events for farm animals
Shade, ventilation, cooling systems, and adjusted feeding schedules can mitigate but not eliminate heat stress

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress causes genuine suffering in farm animals — panting, prostration, reduced feed intake, and in severe cases death. As global temperatures rise, heat stress events are becoming more frequent, more intense, and longer lasting. Billions of animals in poorly ventilated, overcrowded facilities face increasing welfare harms from climate change. Welfare-positive farming systems must include heat mitigation as a baseline requirement.

What You Can Do

Support farms investing in cooling infrastructure, shade provision, and ventilation systems
Advocate for heat stress regulations setting minimum standards for farm animal cooling
Recognize that climate change is a major animal welfare issue and advocate accordingly
Support plant-based food systems that reduce the scale of livestock farming and its climate impact
Follow animal welfare organizations tracking heat stress policy developments