Climate change is making heat waves more frequent and severe, creating acute welfare crises for livestock. Heat stress causes suffering, production losses, and death without proper management.
Heat stress causes significant animal suffering that is often underestimated. Affected animals experience discomfort, reduced feed intake, lethargy, and in severe cases, respiratory distress and death. The panting and increased respiration rates seen in heat-stressed animals indicate the physiological strain they are under. Chronic heat stress impairs immune function and reproduction, meaning animals may spend weeks in a state of compromised wellbeing during extended heat events. Climate change is increasing both the frequency and severity of these events. Proactive investment in cooling infrastructure is both an animal welfare obligation and an economic necessity.