Heat stress in dairy cows reduces production, compromises immunity, and causes significant welfare harm, making heat abatement technology an increasingly important welfare investment.
Heat stress in dairy cows causes welfare harm that is currently underestimated in British farming because summer temperatures historically rarely reached critical thresholds. As climate change increases both temperature and humidity, the proportion of UK dairy cows experiencing heat stress will grow. Proactive investment in heat abatement - shade provision, forced ventilation, and evaporative cooling - protects animal welfare and productivity simultaneously. The economic case for heat abatement investment is strong in high-producing herds where the production losses from heat stress are large. Consumer demand for year-round welfare standards that include summer heat management creates additional market incentive.