Climate Effect on High Yielding Animals: Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies

Abstract

Climate change is one of the major challenges for livestock production systems in tropical countries. Sere et al. reported that heat stress has adverse effects on the productive, reproductive and health performances of dairy animals. Many environmental factors directly or indirectly affect on production performance of animals. Temperature-humidity index is the universal and most precise indicator of stress assessment using temperature and humidity data of the environment. Environmental stress has adverse effects on the health status of dairy animals and decreases the milk production and reproductive performance of dairy cows resulting in huge economic losses. Modification of microenvironment to improve heat dissipation mechanism to alleviate heat stress is one of the most important measures to be considered in hot environment. The most common approach to ameliorate heat stress is to modify environment near to cow way through provision of shade, evaporative cooling system by use of fogger, mister or sprinkler with fan or without fan.