Heat stress is one of the fastest-growing welfare challenges in livestock farming as climate change increases the frequency of extreme temperature events globally.
Heat stress triggers a cascade of physiological responses in livestock: panting, salivation, reduced feed intake, redistributed blood flow, and elevated core temperature. Severe heat stress causes organ damage, immune suppression, and death. Dairy cows bred for high milk production have elevated metabolic heat generation that makes them particularly vulnerable. Climate change is increasing both the frequency of heat stress days and the severity of heat events, making thermal comfort infrastructure an increasingly urgent welfare investment across all livestock species.