Heat stress is increasingly recognized as a major livestock welfare problem as global temperatures rise, and investment in cooling technology and management is becoming essential for maintaining farm animal welfare.
Heat stress is a welfare emergency that is becoming more frequent and severe as global temperatures rise. For dairy cows, prolonged heat stress causes reduced feed intake, milk production decline, immune suppression, and reproductive failure. Pigs in poorly ventilated buildings during heat waves can experience acute welfare emergencies including mass mortality. Sheep and beef cattle on open pasture without shade suffer significantly during summer heat events. The welfare response requires both emergency preparedness for acute heat events and structural investment in cooling systems, shade provision, and building design. Regulatory minimum standards for livestock heat protection in many countries are inadequate for current climate conditions, let alone projected future temperatures. Climate-adapted livestock management is a welfare imperative.