Protecting farm animals from heat stress through management and infrastructure improvements.
Heat stress welfare is both an immediate individual welfare concern and a growing challenge as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heat events affecting livestock in all production systems. Animals experiencing heat stress suffer measurable physiological and behavioral changes that indicate genuine negative welfare states, with the most severe cases causing death. The infrastructure and management solutions for heat stress prevention are well-evidenced and economically justified through production benefits, yet implementation remains incomplete in many production systems. The growing climate change dimension makes heat stress welfare planning increasingly urgent for all livestock operations.