Livestock Heat Stress Management

Heat stress is a growing welfare and production crisis in livestock farming as climate change increases the frequency of extreme heat events.

Key Facts

Dairy cattle heat stress costs the US industry over USD 1.5 billion per year in production losses
Heat stress in pigs increases mortality and reduces growth rates substantially
Poultry are particularly vulnerable to heat — mass die-offs of millions occur in heat waves
Shade, ventilation, and water access are low-cost high-impact heat mitigation tools
Climate models predict significant increases in heat stress days for major livestock regions this century

Welfare Considerations

Heat stress causes physiological distress in livestock, raising body temperature, increasing respiratory rate, disrupting hormonal systems, and reducing feed intake and immune function. In extreme cases it causes mass mortality. For pigs, cattle, and poultry in intensive systems, built-in ventilation and cooling infrastructure is essential but frequently inadequate. Climate change will worsen this problem every decade. Welfare-conscious farm management increasingly requires heat action plans, infrastructure investment, and in some cases breed selection for heat tolerance.

What You Can Do

Support farms that invest in shade, ventilation, and cooling infrastructure
Advocate for climate-adaptive animal agriculture policies
Choose animal products from producers with heat management welfare plans
Support research into heat-tolerant livestock genetics and management
Engage with climate policy as a livestock welfare issue