Livestock Heat Stress: Welfare and Climate Adaptation

Heat stress in livestock causes widespread suffering, production losses, and mortality that are intensifying with climate change, demanding adaptation strategies across animal agriculture.

Key Facts

Dairy cows experience heat stress above 22°C with high humidity (THI above 68)
Heat-stressed dairy cows reduce feed intake, production, and reproductive performance significantly
Pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress and have no sweat glands except on their snout
Poultry mortality spikes sharply during heat waves — millions of birds die annually during extreme heat
Climate change is projected to increase heat stress hours by 50-100% in major livestock regions by 2050

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress represents one of the clearest intersections of animal welfare and climate change. As temperatures rise, current housing and management systems designed for cooler climates become inadequate — causing chronic suffering and acute mortality during heat events. Solutions exist but require investment: shade and ventilation in outdoor systems, cooling systems (fans, misters, evaporative cooling) in indoor facilities, nutritional adjustments, and breed selection for heat tolerance. Addressing heat stress is both an immediate welfare imperative and a necessary adaptation for sustainable animal agriculture.

What You Can Do

Support farms that have invested in appropriate heat stress mitigation infrastructure
Advocate for heat stress management to be required in farm animal welfare standards
Reduce animal product consumption to address the root causes of agricultural climate contribution
Support research into heat-tolerant livestock breeds and farming systems
Raise awareness that farm animal suffering from heat stress increases with climate change