Farmed Animals

Climate Change Impacts on Livestock Welfare

Climate change creates new and intensified welfare challenges for farm animals through heat, disease, and extreme weather.

Key Facts

Global average temperatures are projected to rise 1.5-4 degrees Celsius by 2100
Heat stress already costs the US livestock industry 1.69 billion dollars annually
Climate change will expand the range of parasites, diseases, and disease vectors
Flooding and drought events cause acute welfare crises for farm animals
Adaptation measures including shade, ventilation, and breed selection are urgently needed

Welfare Considerations

Climate change represents an escalating threat to farm animal welfare through increasing heat stress, novel disease pressures, and extreme weather events. Meaningful climate mitigation and farm-level adaptation planning are essential to protect livestock welfare over the coming decades.

What You Can Do

Support ambitious climate policy to limit future temperature increases
Advocate for farm adaptation funding to include welfare improvement measures
Reduce meat consumption to lower livestock methane emissions
Support research into heat-tolerant livestock breeds and welfare-protective housing