Heat stress is one of the most significant welfare threats to livestock globally, causing suffering, production losses and mortality that are projected to worsen with climate change.
Livestock heat stress causes significant animal suffering through discomfort, physiological strain and potentially fatal hyperthermia. The welfare impact extends beyond immediate discomfort to include suppressed immune function increasing disease susceptibility, reproductive failure and reduced growth. As climate change intensifies extreme heat events, proactive heat stress management becomes an increasingly critical welfare obligation. Effective interventions include shade provision, ventilation systems, cooling water sprinklers, adjusted feeding schedules and genetic selection for heat tolerance. The welfare cost of inadequate heat stress management falls entirely on the animals, making it a clear moral obligation for farm managers.