Climate-Adaptive Livestock Management Strategies for Reducing Heat Stress and Improving Animal Health

Abstract

Global climate change has emerged as a new problem impacting livestock production under the form of extreme heat and sustained heat stress periods. Heat Stress harms livestock health, performance, reproduction, immune system and animal welfare, compromising sustainable livestock production and food security. As climatic conditions change, traditional methods of livestock management are becoming ineffective and new approaches are needed that will enhance the resilience of farm animals and their animal health. This study explores the integrated climate-adaptive livestock management strategies to reduce heat stress and improve health outcomes of livestock in sustainable livestock production systems. Adaptive interventions are measured, such as environmental modification, precision cooling systems, nutrition supplementation, smart monitoring technologies and management practices that are heat resilient. The conventional and adaptive systems were studied under the comparative analytical method with selected physiological, environmental, and productivity parameters, which included the Temperature–Humidity Index (THI), respiration rate, feed intake, body temperature, milk yield, and incidence of diseases. The results show that the implementation of climate adaptive interventions is crucial for reducing thermal stress, boost feed efficiency and productivity, decrease disease vulnerability and increase sustainability. The study offers some practical tools for establishing livestock farming systems that are climate resilient and sustainable.