Effects of summer heat stress on domestic animals

Sakatani M.

doi:10.4190/jjlac.5.238

Recent global warming has had a significant impact on productivity in the livestock industries. The effect of summer heat stress, especially, is becoming severer and more serious year after year. According to the global warming scenario created by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the projected increase in average ambient temperature in Japan is from 2.5 to 3℃ by the end of the 21st century compared with the year 2001. The number of days with a maximum temperature of higher than 35℃ will also increase. Under these climate scenarios, reduction in productivity and reproductive performance during summer months is inevitable not only in dairy cattle but also in all kinds of livestock.High temperature and humidity in summer increase the body temperature of livestock. It is thought that this elevation of body temperature lowers productivity and reproduction efficiency by directly decreasing dry matter intake and by negatively affecting the metabolism and other physiological functions through increased oxidative stress levels. For farmers, these adverse effects manifest as economic losses. In this review, the effects of heat stress on livestock production are addressed with a focus on body temperature. The latest technologies in heat stress management and future perspectives are also discussed.

Effects of summer heat stress on domestic animals

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