Heat stress causes significant production losses and welfare harm in farm animals globally. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of heat stress events.
Livestock heat stress is a major and growing welfare concern that causes genuine suffering including panting, reduced movement, altered behavior, and in severe cases death. The physiological consequences extend beyond acute discomfort — chronic heat stress causes immune suppression, reproductive failure, and metabolic disruption that affect animal welfare across extended periods. Climate change is projected to worsen heat stress substantially across major livestock production regions, making adaptation a welfare imperative. Effective mitigation includes shade provision, evaporative cooling, ventilation systems, and adjusted feeding times that reduce metabolic heat production during peak temperature periods. The economic costs of heat stress provide a market incentive for adoption that welfare considerations alone have not always achieved.