Heat stress in cattle is a major and growing welfare concern as temperatures rise globally. It causes reduced feed intake, reproductive failure, immune suppression, and significant suffering.
Heat stress causes real suffering: cattle pant heavily, cluster together ineffectively in shade, and reduce movement and feeding to lower heat production. Chronic heat stress suppresses immune function, increasing disease susceptibility. The combination of welfare impairment and production loss should motivate widespread adoption of heat abatement measures, but provision of shade and cooling systems remains inconsistent across the global industry. Early detection through respiration rate monitoring and investment in cooling infrastructure are both welfare-positive and economically rational for producers.