The Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Production and Reproduction and their adaptation strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26692/surjss.v56i02.7189Keywords:
Animal health, Climate change, Livestock, Production, ReproductionAbstract
Climate change poses significant challenges to livestock production and reproduction worldwide, affecting both the productivity and sustainability of the sector. The availability of feed, water, and grazing land are disrupted by rising temperatures, changed precipitation patterns, and an increase in the frequency of extreme weather events, leading to reduced animal growth, lower milk yields, and increased mortality. Heat stress, in particular, impairs reproductive performance, reducing fertility rates, increasing embryonic loss, and extending calving intervals. Furthermore, climate-induced shifts in disease patterns exacerbate health issues, reducing livestock resilience and productivity. In response, adaptation strategies such as improved animal housing, Heat tolerance through genetic selection, and better resource management are essential to safeguard livestock systems. However, the interplay between climate change and livestock production underscores the need for sustainable practices that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from the sector while ensuring food security and animal welfare.
References
REFERENCES
Abdelatty, A. M., Iwaniuk, M. E., Potts, S. B., & Gad, A. (2018). Influence of maternal nutrition and heat stress on bovine oocyte and embryo development. International Journal of Veterinary Science and Medicine, 6, S1-S5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijvsm.2018.01.005
Ali, M. Z., Carlile, G., &Giasuddin, M. (2020). Impact of global climate change on livestock health: Bangladesh perspective. Open veterinary journal, 10(2), 178-188. http://doi.org:10.4314/ovj.v10i2.7
Amundson, J. L., Mader, T. L., Rasby, R. J., & Hu, Q. S. (2006). Environmental effects on pregnancy rate in beef cattle. Journal of
animal science, 84(12), 3415-3420. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2005-611
Atrian, P., &Shahryar, H. A. (2012). Heat stress in dairy cows (a review). Research in Zoology, 2(4), 31-37. http://doi.org:10.5923/j.zoology.20120204.03.
Baumgard, L. H., & Rhoads Jr, R. P. (2013). Effects of heat stress on postabsorptive metabolism and energetics. Annually revision of animal and bioscience., 1(1), 311-337. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-animal-031412-103644
Baylis, M., &Githeko, A. K. (2006). The effects of climate change on infectious diseases of animals. Report for the foresight project on detection of infectious diseases, Department of trade and industry, UK Government, 35. https://www.scirp.org/reference/referencespapers?referenceid=2593780
Berman, A. (2005). Estimates of heat stress relief needs for Holstein dairy cows. Journal of animal science, 83(6), 1377-1384. https://doi.org/10.2527/2005.8361377x
Bernabucci, U., Lacetera, N., Baumgard, L. H., Rhoads, R. P., Ronchi, B., &Nardone, A. (2010). Metabolic and hormonal acclimation to heat stress in domesticated ruminants. Animal, 4(7), 1167-1183. http://doi.org:10.1017/S175173111000090X
Calvosa, C., Chuluunbaatar, D., &Fara, K. (2009). Livestock and climate change. In Livestock and climate change (pp. 20-20). Livestock Thematic Papers Tools forproject design. www.ifad.org/lrkm/factsheet/women.pdf
Craine, J. M., Elmore, A., &Angerer, J. P. (2017). Long-term declines in dietary nutritional quality for North American cattle. Environmental research letters, 12(4), 044019. http://doi.org:10.1088/1748-9326/aa67a4
Dash, S. (2013). Genetic evaluation of fertility traits in relation to heat stress in murrah buffaloes. (Doctoral dissertation, NDRI, Karnal). http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/86978
Dash, S., Chakravarty, A. K., Sah, V., Jamuna, V., Behera, R., Kashyap, N., &Deshmukh, B. (2015). Influence of temperature and humidity on pregnancy rate of Murrah buffaloes under subtropical climate. Asian-Australasian journal of animal sciences, 28(7), 943.-950. http://doi.org:doi:10.5713/ajas.14.0825
Dash, S., Chakravarty, A. K., Singh, A., Upadhyay, A., Singh, M., &Yousuf, S. (2016). Effect of heat stress on reproductive performances of dairy cattle and buffaloes: A review. Veterinary world, 9(3), 235–244. https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2016.235-244
De Rensis, F., &Scaramuzzi, R. J. (2003). Heat stress and seasonal effects on reproduction in the dairy cow—a review. Theriogenology, 60(6), 1139-1151. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0093-691X(03)00126-2
Domenech, B. C., & Fricke, C. (2023). Developmental heat stress interrupts spermatogenesis inducing early male sterility in Drosophila melanogaster. Journal of Thermal Biology, 114, 103589.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103589
Escarcha, J. F., Lassa, J. A., & Zander, K. K. (2018). Livestock under climate change: a systematic review of impacts and adaptation. Climate, 6(3), 54. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli6030054
FAO. (2016). ?Livestock & climate change.? www.Fao.Org/Climate-Change.
FAO. (2021). Climate-smart livestock production. A practical guide for Asia and the Pacific region. Bangkok. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb3170.
Fernandez-Novo, A., Pérez-Garnelo, S. S., Villagrá, A., Pérez-Villalobos, N., &Astiz, S. (2020). The effect of stress on reproduction and reproductive technologies in beef cattle—A review. Animals, 10(11), 2096. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112096
Gokhale, G., & Sharma, G. D. (2019). Adverse Impact of Heat Stress on Bovine Development: Causes and Strategies for Mitigation. Bovine Science-Challenges and Advanceshttp://doi.org:10.5772/intechopen.99307
Gaughan, J. B., Mader, T. L., Holt, S. M., & Lisle, A. (2008). A new heat load index for feedlot cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 86(1), 226-234. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2007-0305
Gaughan, J. B., Mader, T. L., Holt, S. M., Sullivan, M. L., & Hahn, G. L. (2009). Assessing the heat tolerance of 17 beef cattle genotypes. International Journal of Biometeorology, 54(6), 617-627.
Goldarazena, A., Romon, P., Aduriz, G., Balenghien, T., Baldet, T., &Delecolle, J. C. (2008). First record of Culicoidesimicola, the main vector of bluetongue virus in Europe, in the Basque Country (northern Spain). The Veterinary Record, 162(25), 820.
Hansen, P. J. (2019). Reproductive physiology of the heat-stressed dairy cow: implications for fertility and assisted reproduction. Animal Reproduction, 16(3), 497-507. https://doi.org/10.21451/1984-3143-AR2019-0053.
Henry, B., Charmley, E., Eckard, R., Gaughan, J. B., &Hegarty, R. (2012). Livestock production in a changing climate: adaptation and mitigation research in Australia. Crop and Pasture Science, 63(3), 191-202. https://doi.org/10.1071/CP11169.
Henry, B. K., Eckard, R. J., &Beauchemin, K. A. (2018). Adaptation of ruminant livestock production systems to climate changes. Animal, 12(s2), s445-s456. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731118001301.
Howden, S. M., Crimp, S. J., & Stokes, C. J. (2008). Climate change and Australian livestock systems: impacts, research and policy issues. Australian journal of experimental agriculture, 48(7), 780-788. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08033
IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development). (2010). Livestock and climate change. http://www.ifad.org/lrkm/events/cops/papers/climate.pdf.
Jones, A. K., Jones, D. L., Edwards-Jones, G., & Cross, P. (2013). Informing decision making in agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation policy: A Best–Worst Scaling survey of expert and farmer opinion in the sheep industry. Environmental Science & Policy, 29, 46-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2013.02.003
Kadokawa, H., Sakatani, M., & Hansen, P. J. (2012). Perspectives on improvement of reproduction in cattle during heat stress in a future Japan. Animal science journal, 83(6), 439-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-0929.2012.01011.x
Kadzere, C. T., Murphy, M. R., Silanikove, N., &Maltz, E. (2002). Heat stress in lactating dairy cows: a review. Livestock production science, 77(1), 59-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(01)00330-X.
Kebede, D. (2016). Impact of climate change on livestock productive and reproductive performance. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 28(12), 227. http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd28/12/kebe28227.htm.
Khan, A., Dou, J., Wang, Y., Jiang, X., Khan, M. Z., Luo, H., ...& Zhu, H. (2020). Evaluation of heat stress effects on cellular and transcriptional adaptation of bovine granulosa cells. Journal of animal science and biotechnology, 11, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-019-0408-8.
Kimothi, S. P., & Ghosh, C. P. (2005). Strategies for ameliorating heat stress in dairy animals. Dairy Year book, 371-377.
King, J. M., Parsons, D. J., Turnpenny, J. R., Nyangaga, J., Bakari, P., &Wathes, C. M. (2006). Modelling energy metabolism of Friesians in Kenya smallholdings shows how heat stress and energy deficit constrain milk yield and cow replacement rate. Animal Science, 82(5), 705-716. http://doi.org:10.1079/ASC200689.
Kurukulasuriya, P., Rosenthal, S., (2003). Climate change and agriculture: a review of impacts and adaptations. Climate Change Series Paper No. 91, World Bank, Washington DC. https://hdl.handle.net/10986/16616.
Lamy, E., Van Harten, S., Sales-Baptista, E., Guerra, M. M. M., & De Almeida, A. M. (2012). Factors influencing livestock productivity. Environmental stress and amelioration in livestock production, 19-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29205-7_2
Lees, A. M., Sejian, V., Wallage, A. L., Steel, C. C., Mader, T. L., Lees, J. C., &Gaughan, J. B. (2019). The impact of heat load on cattle. Animals, 9(6), 322. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9060322.
Madan, M. L., & Prakash, B. S. (2007). Reproductive endocrinology and biotechnology
applications among buffaloes. Society of Reproduction and Fertility supplement, 64, 261-281. https://doi.org/10.5661/rdr-vi-261.
Marai, I. F. M., El-Darawany, A. A., Fadiel, A., & Abdel-Hafez, M. A. M. (2007). Physiological traits as affected by heat stress in sheep—a review. Small ruminant research, 71(1-3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2006.10.003.
McDermott, J. J., Kristjanson, P. M., Kruska, R. L., Reid, R. S., Robinson, T. P., Coleman, P. G., ... & Thornton, P. K. (2002). Effects of climate, human population and socio-economic changes on tsetse-transmitted trypanosomiasis to 2050. The African Trypanosomes, 25-38.https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-46894-8_3
Mondal, S., & Reddy, I. J. (2018). Impact of climate change on livestock production. In Biotechnology for sustainable agriculture (pp. 235-256). Woodhead Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-812160-3.00008-8
Morton, J. M., Tranter, W. P., Mayer, D. G., &Jonsson, N. N. (2007). Effects of environmental heat on conception rates in lactating dairy cows: Critical periods of exposure. Journal of Dairy Science, 90(5), 2271-2278. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2006-574.
Nardone, A., Ronchi, B., Lacetera, N., Ranieri, M. S., &Bernabucci, U. (2010). Effects of climate changes on animal production and sustainability of livestock systems. Livestock Science, 130(1-3), 57-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2010.02.011.
Naqvi, S.M.K., Kumar, D., Paul, R.K., Sejian, V. (2012). Environmental Stresses and Livestock Reproduction. In: Sejian, V., Naqvi, S., Ezeji, T., Lakritz, J., Lal, R. (eds) Environmental Stress and Amelioration in Livestock Production. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29205-7_5
Nichi, M., Bols, P. E. J., Züge, R. M., Barnabe, V. H., Goovaerts, I. G. F., Barnabe, R. C., &Cortada, C. N. M. (2006). Seasonal variation in semen quality in Bosindicus and Bostaurus bulls raised under tropical conditions. Theriogenology, 66(4), 822-828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2006.01.056.
Oliver, D. M., Fish, R. D., Winter, M., Hodgson, C. J., Heathwaite, A. L., & Chadwick, D. R. (2012). Valuing local knowledge as a source of expert data: farmer engagement and the design of decision support systems. Environmental Modelling & Software, 36, 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2011.09.013.
Patz, J. A., Campbell-Lendrum, D., Holloway, T., & Foley, J. A. (2005). Impact of regional climate change on human health. Nature, 438(7066), 310-317.https://doi.org/10.1038/nature04188
Rahman, M. B., Schellander, K., Luceno, N. L., & Van Soom, A. (2018). Heat stress responses in spermatozoa: Mechanisms and consequences for cattle fertility. Theriogenology, 113, 102-112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.02.012.
Randolph S. E. (2008). Dynamics of tick-borne disease systems: minor role of recent climate change. Revue scientifiqueet technique (International Office of Epizootics), 27(2), 367–381.
Rhoads, R. P., Baumgard, L. H., Suagee, J. K., & Sanders, S. R. (2013). Nutritional interventions to alleviate the negative consequences of heat stress. Advances in nutrition, 4(3), 267-276. https://doi.org/10.3945/an.112.003376.
Renaudeau, D., Collin, A., Yahav, S., De Basilio, V., Gourdine, J. L., & Collier, R. J. (2012). Adaptation to hot climate and strategies to alleviate heat stress in livestock production. Animal, 6(5), 707-728. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731111002448.
Rowlinson, P., (2008). Adapting livestock production systems to climate change: temperate zones. In: Rowlinson, P., Steel, M., Nefzaoui, A. (Eds.), Livestock and Global Climate Change Conference Proceeding. Cambridge University Press, Tunisia, pp. 61–63.
Rötter, R., & Van de Geijn, S. C. (1999). Climate change effects on plant growth, crop yield and livestock. Climatic change, 43(4), 651-681. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005541132734
Schuller, L. K., Burfeind, O., &Heuwieser, W. (2014). Impact of heat stress on conception rate of dairy cows in the moderate climate considering different temperature–humidity index thresholds, periods relative to breeding, and heat load indices. Theriogenology, 81(8), 1050-1057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2014.01.029.
Sere, C., van der Zijpp, A., Persley, G., &Rege, E. (2008). Dynamics of livestock production systems, drivers of change and prospects for animal genetic resources. Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiquesanimales/Recursosgenéticosanimales, 42, 3-24. http://doi.org/10.1017/S1014233900002510.
Sejian, V., Maurya, V. P., & Naqvi, S. M. (2010). Adaptive capability as indicated by endocrine and biochemical responses of Malpura ewes subjected to combined stresses (thermal and nutritional) in a semi-arid tropical environment. International journal of biometeorology, 54, 653-661. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-010-0341-1.
Singh, M., Chaudhary, B.K., Singh, J.K., Singh, A.K. and Maurya, P.K. (2013). Effect of thermal load on buffalo reproductive performanceduring summer season. Journal of Biological Sciences. 1(1):1-8. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:110942195.
Sinha, R., Ranjan, A., Lone, S., Rahim, A., Devi, I., & Tiwari, S. (2017). The Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Production and Reproduction: Ameliorative Management. International Journal of Livestock Research, 7(6), 1-8. http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/ijlr.20170417042102
Smit, B., McNabb, D., &Smithers, J. (1996). Agricultural adaptation to climatic variation. Climatic change, 33(1), 7-29. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00140511.
Sprott, L. R., Selk, G. E., & Adams, D. C. (2001). Factors affecting decisions on when to calve beef females. The Professional Animal Scientist, 17(4), 238-246. https://doi.org/10.15232/S1080-7446(15)31635-1.
Stewart, B. M., Block, J., Morelli, P., Navarette, A. E., Amstalden, M., Bonilla, L., ...&Bilby, T. R. (2011). Efficacy of embryo transfer in lactating dairy cows during summer using fresh or vitrified embryos produced in vitro with sex-sorted semen. Journal of Dairy Science, 94(7), 3437-3445. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2010-4008.
Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G. K., Alexander, L. V., Allen, S. K., Bindoff, N. L., ... &Xie, S. P. (2013). Technical summary. In Climate change 2013: the physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 33-115). Cambridge University Press. Available via https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/
Takahashi, M. (2012). Heat stress on reproductive function and fertility in mammals. Reproductive medicine and biology, 11(1), 37-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-011-0105-6.
Thornton, P. K., Herrero, M. T., Freeman, H. A., OkeyoMwai, A., Rege, J. E. O., Jones, P. G., & McDermott, J. J. (2007). Vulnerability, climate change and livestock-opportunities and challenges for the poor. Journal of Semi-Arid Tropical Agricultural Research. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/2205.
Thornton, P. K., & Gerber, P. J. (2010). Climate change and the growth of the livestock sector in developing countries. Mitigation and adaptation strategies for global change, 15, 169-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-009-9210-9.
Upadhyay, R. C., Ashutosh, R. V., Singh, S. V., & Aggarwal, P. (2009). Impact of Climate Change on reproductive functions of cattle and buffaloes. Global climate change and Indian Agriculture, 107-110.
USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), (2013). Climate Change and Agriculture in the United States: Effects and Adaptation. USDA technical bulletin, Washington, DC. http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/effects_2012/CC%20and%20Agriculture%20Report%20%2802-04-2013%29b.pdf.
Van de Steeg, J., &Tibbo, M. (2012). Livestock and climate change in the near east region. Measures to adapt to and mitigate climate change. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Regional office for the near east,
Cairo.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18819666/
Wheelock, J. B., Rhoads, R. P., VanBaale, M. J., Sanders, S. R., &Baumgard, L. H. (2010). Effects of heat stress on energetic metabolism in lactating Holstein cows. Journal of dairy science, 93(2), 644-655. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2009-2295.
WHO. (2008). Anthrax in humans and animals. Geneva,Switzerland: World Health Organization. Available via https://www.who.int/csr/resources/publications/AnthraxGuidelines2008/en/ (Accessed 23September 2019).
Wolfenson, D., Roth, Z., &Meidan, R. (2000). Impaired reproduction in heat-stressed cattle: basic and applied aspects. Animal reproduction science, 60, 535-547. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4320(00)0010
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sindh University Research Journal - SURJ (Science Series)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
