Climate change is a long-term change in the earth’s climate, a change due to an increase in the average atmospheric temperature. People who study Earth see that Earth's climate is getting warmer, temperatures have gone up about one degree Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. This may not seem like much but small changes in Earth's temperature can have big effects.
This could change the amount of rainfall an area gets in a year. Melting glaciers imply that life in the Arctic is affected by climate change. This can cause animals to adapt or leave their habitats in order to survive. Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves.
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The most significant direct impact of climate change on livestock production comes from the heat stress. Heat stress results in a significant financial burden to livestock producers through decrease in milk component and milk production, meat production, reproductive efficiency and animal health. Climate change has the potential to change the amount and reliability of forage production. If one year, mother nature decides to have a dry year we will most likely lose a lot of livestock which means a decrease in beef, pork,and chicken production. This can cause many of us humans to become hungry which can result in a decrease in population if it gets too serious.
The low amounts of water affects animal physiological homeostasis leading to loss of body weight, low reproductive rates and a decreased resistance to diseases. Animals exposed to high temperature can cause heat stress which can result in low feed intake and high water intake. Livestock reproduction is affected by high temperature and can cause dairy cow rates to decrease 20-27%.(Duncan, Clark, 2012)
Impact on Livestock