Heat stress is an increasingly significant welfare challenge in dairy cattle as temperatures rise, requiring active cooling management.
Heat stress causes significant welfare compromise in dairy cattle, including hyperthermia, reduced feeding and lying time, and chronic physiological stress. Cows in heat stress often seek shade and water rather than grazing, which reduces nutrition and body condition. The welfare burden is amplified in high-yielding cows whose metabolism generates additional body heat. As UK summers become warmer, proactive cooling strategies are increasingly essential rather than optional welfare investments.