Farm Animals

Livestock Heat Stress Emergency Response Planning

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme heat events that require proactive emergency response planning on livestock farms.

Key Facts

Heat stress occurs when animals cannot dissipate body heat fast enough to maintain normal temperature
Pigs are particularly vulnerable due to limited sweating capacity
Broiler chickens experience production losses and mortality in temperatures above 25 degrees C
Emergency cooling measures include ventilation, misters, shade and access to cool water
Heat stress response plans should be developed and tested before extreme weather events

Welfare Considerations

Failure to act during extreme heat events causes severe animal suffering and mass mortality. Many farms lack pre-prepared response plans that identify threshold temperatures for action and assign responsibilities. Climate-proofing livestock buildings and developing heat response protocols are urgent welfare priorities.

What You Can Do

Ask farm assurance bodies to require climate emergency response plans in certification
Support government funding for heat-proofing of existing livestock buildings
Learn about heat stress recognition and emergency response from AHDB resources
Advocate for inclusion of climate adaptation in national livestock welfare strategy