Heat stress is a significant welfare problem for cattle, especially high-producing dairy cows, causing reduced wellbeing, productivity losses, and increased health risks during hot weather.
Heat-stressed cattle experience physiological distress as their bodies struggle to maintain temperature through panting and sweating. Severe heat stress causes exhaustion, collapse, and death. Even moderate heat stress causes chronic discomfort that reduces feed intake and activity, suppresses immune function, and impairs reproductive success. Climate change is extending and intensifying heat stress seasons, making improved heat abatement increasingly critical to cattle welfare.