Multidimensional adaptive strategies of farm animals facing climate challenges

Abstract

Modern livestock farming operates within increasingly challenging climatic boundaries, making adaptation the cornerstone of sustainable development. In confronting climate change, the innate adaptive abilities of domestic animals must not be underestimated or neglected, as they provide the essential biological foundation for survival and productivity in an ever more demanding environment. Alongside human interventions, understanding and enhancing animal adaptations lay the groundwork for developing resilient and sustainable livestock systems. The strategies through which animals respond to climate challenges encompass physiological, biochemical, immunological, morphological, and behavioral mechanisms-from panting and sweating, changes in blood composition and endocrine function, to modifications in body size, coat characteristics, and behaviors such as seeking shade or reducing feed intake. Interspecies and interbreed differences further underscore the critical importance of genetic diversity in fostering resilience. These insights offer a basis for designing strategies that support not only productivity but also animal welfare under global warming conditions. While human interventions may alleviate the immediate impacts of climatic stressors, it is the integration of animal adaptations that provides the long-term foundation for the stability and future of livestock farming.