Rising global temperatures are increasing heat stress in livestock worldwide, requiring urgent adaptation in housing, breed selection, and management to prevent welfare deterioration.
Heat stress welfare impacts are accelerating with climate change in ways that disproportionately affect intensively managed animals in inadequate facilities. A dairy cow experiencing heat stress shows reduced feed intake, altered respiration, elevated core temperature, and impaired immune function that collectively indicate significant welfare compromise even before the animal shows overt clinical signs. Broiler chickens in poorly ventilated sheds during heat events die in large numbers within hours as hyperthermia overwhelms their limited thermoregulatory capacity. Climate adaptation for livestock welfare requires investment in housing infrastructure, breed selection programs prioritizing heat tolerance, and management protocols that recognize heat stress as a welfare emergency requiring proactive response rather than reactive crisis management.