Heat stress does not only affect the behavior and welfare of cattle, but also reduces their feed intake, productivity, and animal fertility, says Philip Thornton, principal scientist at the International Livestock Research Institute and flagship leader in the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security.
“Animals eat less and increase their respiration, so more energy is expended on trying to keep cool, with less energy available for meat and milk production,” he added. Moreover, it increases their susceptibility to diseases, and in cases of extreme heat stress, their mortality as well. Quite recently, extreme heat killed thousands of cattle in Kansas, one of the largest cattle producers in the country.
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