Heat stress is a growing welfare crisis for livestock as climate change intensifies, with significant impacts on health, productivity, and animal suffering across multiple species.
Heat-stressed animals experience significant suffering - panting, hyperthermia, reduced movement, and collapse indicate acute welfare emergencies. Chronic mild heat stress causes persistent discomfort, impaired immune function, and metabolic stress even when animals do not appear overtly distressed. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of heat events that exceed livestock thermal comfort zones. Welfare-forward farms invest in shade, cooling infrastructure, and climate-adaptive management strategies as ethical obligations rather than optional productivity enhancements.