Heat Stress in Livestock: Prevention and Welfare

How heat stress affects farm animals in an era of increasing temperatures and what effective mitigation strategies look like.

Key Facts

Dairy cows begin experiencing heat stress at temperatures above 25 degrees Celsius
Heat stress reduces milk production by up to 35% and increases disease susceptibility
Pigs are particularly vulnerable to heat stress as they cannot sweat and have limited thermoregulatory capacity
Climate change is expanding the geographic range and duration of heat stress events in livestock
Shade, ventilation, and water access are the most cost-effective heat stress mitigation measures

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress is one of the most significant welfare challenges facing livestock in a warming world. The physiological burden of chronic heat stress — elevated core temperature, increased respiratory rate, reduced feed intake, and immune suppression — represents genuine suffering for affected animals. For intensively housed pigs and poultry, where ventilation is critical to temperature management, power failures during heat events can cause rapid mass mortality. Climate change is making these events more frequent and severe, meaning that heat stress management is transitioning from a seasonal concern to a year-round welfare priority in many regions.

What You Can Do

Ensure all livestock have access to shade, fresh water, and adequate ventilation during warm weather
Install sprinkler or misting systems in high-risk housing as a cost-effective heat mitigation measure
Monitor livestock behaviour and production parameters as early indicators of heat stress onset
Advocate for climate-resilient housing design standards in farm animal welfare regulations
Support research into heat-tolerant genetics and management systems for livestock in warming regions