Effect of global climate change on livestock sector and its ameliorative measures: A review

Abstract

Global climate change, characterized by long-term shifts in temperature, rainfall, and extreme weather events, poses significant challenges to livestock production, a critical sector for food security, livelihoods, and the economy. Livestock systems are particularly vulnerable to heat stress, water scarcity, altered feed availability, and emerging diseases, which compromise animal health, welfare, productivity, and reproductive performance. Physiological responses to heat stress include elevated respiration rate, rectal temperature, sweating, and altered blood flow, while metabolic changes involve reduced feed intake, shifts in nutrient utilization, and electrolyte imbalances. Hormonal dysregulation, behavioral modifications, impaired rumen function, and increased susceptibility to hyperthermia, dehydration, and immune suppression further exacerbate the impacts on growth, milk yield, meat quality, and fertility. Mitigation strategies encompassing environmental management, nutritional supplementation, genetic selection for heat tolerance, and automated real-time monitoring offer effective avenues to enhance resilience. Integrating these approaches is essential to sustain livestock productivity, ensure animal welfare, and support global food security under intensifying climate change.