Heat stress is an increasing welfare challenge for livestock as climate change raises temperatures, requiring proactive management strategies to protect animal welfare.
Heat stress causes measurable welfare harm that progresses from reduced activity and feed intake at mild levels to panting, drooling, crowding around water sources, and collapse at severe levels. Mortality events involving thousands of animals in a single heat event demonstrate the scale of acute welfare harm possible without adequate preparation. The welfare harm is not merely discomfort: chronic heat stress suppresses immune function, impairs reproduction, and creates physiological stress that compromises health throughout the summer period. Proactive management including shade infrastructure, evaporative cooling systems, and modified feeding schedules that reduce metabolic heat generation during peak afternoon temperatures substantially reduces heat stress welfare impacts. Planning now for projected future climate conditions is essential given the lead time required for infrastructure investment.