Prolonged drought creates acute welfare crises for farm animals through feed scarcity, water shortage, and heat stress that challenge even well-managed operations.
Drought welfare failures cascade through farm systems rapidly. Water scarcity causes dehydration that progresses quickly in hot conditions. Feed scarcity leads to nutritional decline that compromises immune function and reproductive performance before obvious emaciation becomes visible. Emergency destocking — selling animals into already saturated markets — causes transport welfare harm in addition to the pre-existing drought stress. Forward planning through fodder reserves, water infrastructure, and drought contingency plans significantly reduces animal welfare harm when drought strikes. Climate change is increasing drought frequency, making this planning increasingly critical.