Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme weather events affecting cattle welfare, requiring proactive planning for heat waves, flooding, and severe storms.
Extreme weather welfare is an emerging and increasingly important welfare concern as climate change intensifies. Heat stress in dairy cows can cause significant suffering within hours - hyperthermia, reduced feed intake, collapse, and death in severe cases - and requires rapid management response. Good heat abatement planning includes shade access, water availability, and ventilation systems that can be activated before conditions become critical. Flooding contingency plans that identify alternative pasture, higher ground, and evacuation routes must be tested and ready before events occur. The reactive approach of responding to welfare emergencies after they develop is consistently less effective and more welfare-costly than proactive preparation.