J. B. Gaughan

Livestock production in a changing climate: adaptation and mitigation research in Australia

Abstract. Climate change presents a range of challenges for animal agriculture in Australia. Livestock production will be affected by changes in temperature and water availability through impacts on pasture and forage crop quantity and quality, feed-grain production and price, and disease and pest distributions. This paper provides an overview of these impacts and the broader effects on landscape functionality, with a focus on recent research on effects of increasing temperature, changing rainfall patterns, and increased climate variability on animal health, growth, and reproduction, including through heat stress, and potential adaptation strategies. The rate of adoption of adaptation strategies by livestock producers will depend on perceptions of the uncertainty in projected climate and regional-scale impacts and associated risk. However, management changes adopted by farmers in parts of Australia during recent extended drought and associated heatwaves, trends consistent with long-term predicted climate patterns, provide some insights into the capacity for practical adaptation strategies. Animal production systems will also be significantly affected by climate change policy and national targets to address greenhouse gas emissions, since livestock are estimated to contribute ∼10% of Australia’s total emissions and 8–11% of global emissions, with additional farm emissions associated with activities such as feed production. More than two-thirds of emissions are attributed to ruminant animals. This paper discusses the challenges and opportunities facing livestock industries in Australia in adapting to and mitigating climate change. It examines the research needed to better define practical options to reduce the emissions intensity of livestock products, enhance adaptation opportunities, and support the continued contribution of animal agriculture to Australia’s economy, environment, and regional communities.

Response of Domestic Animals to Climate Challenges

The livestock sector is socially, culturally and politically very significant. It accounts for 40% of the worlds agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It employs 1.3 billion people, and creates livelihoods for one billion of the worlds population living in poverty. Climate change is seen as a major threat to the sur- vival of many species, ecosystems and the financial sustainability of livestock production systems in many parts of the world. The potential problems are even greater in developing countries. Economic studies suggest severe losses if current management systems are not modified to reflect the shift in climate. In short, farmers/ managers need to adapt to the changes. There has been considerable interest in gaining an understanding how domestic livestock respond to climatic stressors. Studies have for the most part been undertaken in developed coun- tries. These studies have provided a wealth of knowledge on differences between genotypes, the impact of climatic stress on production, reproduction and health. However little is known about adaptation of animals to rapid changes in climatic

Effects of chronic heat stress on plasma concentration of secreted heat shock protein 70 in growing feedlot cattle

Sixty Angus steers (449.2±11.0 kg) with implanted body temperature (BT) transmitters were used in a 110-d study to determine the effect of chronic stress (housing, diet, and climate) on extracellular heat shock protein 70 (eHsp70) concentration in plasma. The steers were a subset of a larger study involving 164 steers. Before the start of the study (d -31), 63 steers were implanted with a BT transmitter between the internal abdominal muscle and the peritoneum at the right side flank. Steers were housed in 20 pens (10 with shade and 10 without). Within each pen, 3 steers had a transmitter, and BT was recorded at 30-min intervals throughout the study. On d 0, 30, 60, 90, and 110, steers were weighed, BCS assessed (1 to 9 scale in which 1=emaciated and 9=obese), and 10 mL of blood from the coccygeal vein was collected for determination of inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) concentration by ELISA. Climatic variables (ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, black globe temperature, and wind speed) were obtained every 30 min from an on-site weather station. The relationship between the climatic variables and Hsp70 concentration were examined. As we failed to detect an effect of shade, all data were pooled. Mean BT over the duration of the study was 39.6±0.10°C. Mean BT was lowest (38.7±0.10°C) on d 0 and highest on d 110 (40.2°C±0.10). The Hsp70 concentration was least on d 0 (2.33±0.47 ng/mL) and greatest on d 30 (8.08±0.78 ng/mL). The Hsp70 concentration decreased from d 30 but remained above the d-0 concentrations on d 60, 90, and 110. There was a strong relationship between Hsp70 concentration and ambient temperature (r2=0.86; P<0.0001) and Hsp70 concentration and photoperiod (r2=0.94; P<0.0001) and no relationship with BT (r2=0.06; P<0.0001). When assessed with both BCS and BT, the relationship was moderate (r2=0.48; P<0.001). The relationship between Hsp70 and change in BT (BTΔ) above 38.6°C was also moderate (r2=0.54; P<0.0001). The BT at a given time does not appear to be related to Hsp70 concentration. However, Hsp70 expression may be a useful indictor for BTΔ when BT>38.6°C. The Hsp70 concentration is a reliable indicator of chronic stress but is not a reliable indicator of a single stressor when animals are exposed to multiple chronic stressors.

Amelioration of thermal stress impacts in dairy cows

Heat stress negatively impacts on a variety of animal production parameters. Advances in management strategies have alleviated some of the negative impacts of thermal stress on farm animals, but production continues to markedly decrease during heat events in summer, particularly in dairy cattle. In this paper we introduce a Dairy Risk Assessment Program (DRAP). The DRAP is a user-friendly software package designed to assist users in predicting heat loads in dairy cow herds. DRAP was developed over three Australian summers using climatic data (temperature, humidity, solar radiation and wind speed), cow production data (milk yield and milk quality), and physiological data (respiration rate and body temperature). The data were used to develop mathematical algorithms which can predict animal response to climatic variables. This software package is designed to be used by the dairy industry to better manage cows during times of elevated environmental temperatures by equipping producers, managers, and dairy industry personnel with Dairy Heat Load Index (DHLI) values which were calculated based upon site information, stock characteristics, management practices, and mitigation variables specific to their dairy production unit. When a heat event is imminent producers can then introduce management strategies such as providing shade or additional water troughs or implementation of nutritional strategies. Some of these nutritional strategies include dietary chromium picolinate, betaine and antioxidant supplementation or altering the rate of starch fermentation. These nutritional strategies are discussed at some length in this paper.

Feedlot Diet Roughage Level for Hereford Cattle Exposed to Excessive Heat Load

In Exp. 1, six individually fed Hereford steers were exposed to hot (HOT) or thermoneutral (TNL) environmental conditions (ENV) while being adapted (stepped-up) to a finishing diet by decreasing roughage level from 55 to 10% of the diet DM over 17 d. Only at 10% roughage did heat exposure result in reduced (P<0.05) calculated ME intake (MEI) and measured DMI. In the TNL treatment group, pulse rates increased as MEI and diet energy density increased (P<0.05), whereas in the HOT treatment group, pulse rate tended to decline when MEI declined. Body temperature (BT) of steers increased under both TNL and HOT conditions. In Exp. 2, six individually fed feedlot steers were assigned in a replicated (n = 3) 2 × 3 factorial arrangement of treatments and exposed to HOT or TNL ENV, whereas the diet treatments were a 6% roughage diet fed ad libitum (HE), or 90% of ad libitum (RE), or a 28% roughage diet (HR) fed ad libitum such that MEI approximated the MEI of the RE group. Steers fed HR diets had lower (P<0.05) respiratory rate and BT than HE and RE fed steers. Steers fed RE diets had greater (P<0.05) water intake than HE fed steers when averaged across ENV. Lower BT (P<0.05) of cattle fed RE and HR would indicate MEI prior to exposure to excessive heat load (EHL) influences ability of cattle to cope with subsequent exposure to excessive heat load. Data also indicate that adapting cattle to high energy diets partially contributes to EHL.

Effect of selection for leanness on overall reproductive performance in Large White sows

Reproductive records from 1072 Large White sows (3589 litters) were used to examine the effect of backfat depth (Ed) and live weight (Lw) at selection on first litter and lifetime reproductive performance. The variables investigated included mating age, total piglets born, total bent alive, piglet birth weight, number weaned weaned, piglet weaning weight, weaning to remating period and number of litters produced. Using backfat depth, sows were categorized into three groups: L, 9 to 13 mm; M, 14 to 16 mm; and F, greater than or equal to 17 mm. Ed had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on the measured traits for the sows grouped by fat at first parity. When lifetime reproductive data were analysed, the L group had fewer litters (P < 0.05), and weaned fewer pigs (P < 0.01) than either rite M or F group. The birth weight for piglets from L sows were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than for piglets from the other groups. The data suggest that the reproductive performance of L souls is not as good as that of M or F sows.

Physiological responses of Australian Merino wethers exposed to high heat load

Twelve 9-mo-old Merino wethers (30.4 ± 3.2 kg of BW) were used in a crossover study to investigate the heat tolerance of Australian Merino sheep by testing their physiological responses to repeated heat loads that occurred during summer months. Wethers were randomly divided into 2 groups of 6 wethers each, housed individually in an environmental chamber, and subjected to 2 d of thermoneutral conditions (TNC) followed by either 7 d of TNC (maximum temperature of 24°C, minimum temperature of 16°C) or 7 d of hot conditions (maximum temperature of 38°C, minimum temperature of 28°C), and then 2 d of TNC. These treatments were applied in 2 replicates, with each replicate in a separate environmental chamber. Rectal temperature (RT) and respiration rate were measured daily at 0600, 0800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, and 1800 h. Feed and water intakes were measured daily, and wethers were weighed on d 1 and 11. Blood samples were collected from each whether on d 2 and 6, and serum was assayed for concentrations of creatine, glucose, total protein, cholesterol, NEFA, calcium, sodium, and potassium. Exposure to a high ambient temperature resulted in an 0.8°C increase in RT (P < 0.001), an increase in respiration rate (P < 0.001) by 66 breaths/min, and a 2.7 L/d increase in water intake (P < 0.0001). Feed intake decreased by 22% (P < 0.0001), BW decreased by 5.2% (P < 0.03), and creatine concentration was reduced (P < 0.05). No differences (P > 0.05) between treatments were observed for any of the remaining serum variables. These results indicate that Australian Merino sheep were able to maintain RT within the normal range during exposure to a prolonged increase in heat and that they recovered quickly from the negative effect of heat stress within 2 d of conditions returning to TNC. It would appear that they have a high heat tolerance, and further studies are needed to examine the effects of a greater heat load to determine the temperature-humidity index thresholds for Australian Merino sheep.

Effect of various doses of injected selenium on performance and physiological responses of sheep to heat load

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of various doses of injected Se on the physiological responses of sheep to heat load. Fifteen 9-mo-old Australian Merino wethers (mean BW = 27.2 ± 2.1 kg) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: 0 (control), 0.5, and 5 mg of Se, which was administered as a subcutaneous sodium selenate injection (5 mg/mL Se) on d 1, 8, and 15 of exposure to heat stress. The animals were housed individually in an environmental chamber and exposed to high temperature from 0700 to 1800 h (maximum = 38°C; minimum = 24°C) and to thermoneutral temperature from 1800 to 0700 h (maximum = 24°C; minimum = 20°C) for 21 d. Rectal temperature (RT) and respiration rate (RR) were measured daily at 0800, 1200, and 1600 h. Feed intake was measured daily, and sheep were weighed on d 1, 8, 15, and 21. Blood samples were collected on d 1 and 21. The 5 mg Se treatment decreased RT by 0.3°C (P = 0.02) and BW loss by 4.5% (P < 0.05) and increased eosinophil count (P < 0.05). There were no differences (P > 0.05) between treatments in RR and DMI, serum concentrations of glucose, total protein, cholesterol, and NEFA or in blood hematology variables. The findings of this study have important implications for the sheep industry. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the dynamics of Se on productivity and health during hot conditions.

Effect of shade area on performance and welfare of short-fed feedlot cattle

One hundred twenty-six Black Angus yearling heifers were used in a 119-d study to assess the effect of shade allocation (0, 2.0, 3.3, or 4.7 m(2)/animal) on the performance and welfare of feedlot cattle. Shade treatments were replicated 4 times and the no-shade treatment was replicated twice. Shade was provided by 70% solar block shade cloth, attached to a 4-m-high frame with a north-south orientation. Cattle were randomly allocated to a pen (9/pen; 19.2 m(2)/animal) within treatment. Performance was assessed using DMI, G:F, ADG, HCW, dressing percentage, and rump fat depth. Climatic data (ambient and black globe temperature, solar radiation, wind speed, relative humidity, and rainfall) were recorded. From these data, the heat load index (HLI) was calculated. When the daily maximum HLI (HLI(Max)) was <86, individual panting score (0 = no panting; 4 = open mouth, tongue extended), animal location (eating, drinking, under shade), and animal posture (standing or lying) were collected at 0600, 1200, and 1800 h. When HLI(Max) was ≥ 86, these data were collected every 2 h between 0600 and 1800 h. Feed intake was recorded weekly and water intake was recorded daily on a pen basis. When HLI(Max) was ≥ 86, mean panting score (MPS: mean of animals within treatment) was greatest (1.02; P < 0.001) for unshaded cattle compared with cattle in the shade treatments, which were similar (0.82; P = 0.81). During heat waves, the MPS of unshaded cattle was greater (2.66; P < 0.001) than that for shaded cattle. The MPS of cattle in the 2.0 m(2)/animal treatment (2.43 ± 0.13) was greater (P < 0.001) than that of cattle in the 3.3 (2.11 ± 0.13) and 4.7 m(2)/animal (2.03 ± 0.13) treatments. The MPS of cattle in the 3.3 and 4.7 m(2)/animal treatments were similar (P = 0.09). Number standing was similar (P = 0.98) between unshaded and shaded at 2.0 m(2)/animal treatments with 4.75 and 4.76 animals/pen, respectively. Fewer (P < 0.0001) were standing in the 3.3 (4.19 animals/pen) and 4.7 m(2)/animal (4.06 animals/pen) treatments. Fewer (P = 0.004) cattle were under the shade at 2.0 m(2)/animal (47.1%) compared with the number under the shade at 3.3 (53.7%) and 4.7 m(2)/animal (53.6%). Unshaded cattle had the smallest (0.085 ± 0.006) G:F ratio (P = 0.01), followed by cattle shaded at 4.7 m(2)/animal (0.104 ± 0.006; P ≤ 0.001). There was no difference (P = 0.12) between the 2.0 and 3.3 m(2)/animal treatments. There were no differences (P > 0.10) for final BW, HCW, dressing percentage, and rump fat depth. Cattle with access to shade had smaller panting scores, which suggests improved welfare, and had better feed efficiency. Shade reduced the intensity of the heat load but did not fully remove the effect of heat.

Shade preferences of lactating Holstein-Friesian cows

Summary. Shade-type preferences by Holstein–Friesian cows were investigated under natural climatic conditions. The trial was conducted in south-east Queensland, Australia, over 88 days in summer. Forty-two cows were placed in a dirt-floored yard (zero grazing) provided with different shade types. Shade types provided were a 3 m high galvanised iron roof, Sechium edule (choko) vines on a 3 m high trellis, 70% shade cloth on a 3 m high frame and natural shade trees. The floor area under the shade structures was concrete. An unshaded area (the remainder of the yard) was also provided. Each cow was scored for coat colour based on the proportion of black and white. Number of cows using a particular shade type and their respiration rates were recorded daily at 1300 hours. Ambient temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and wind speed were also measured. Cows selected the galvanised iron roof most frequently when temperatures rose above 30°C, with no significant differences between the other shade types. At temperatures below 30°C, animals did not seek shade. As ambient temperature, solar radiation and relative humidity rose, respiration rate rose. Cows with a high percentage of black coat preferred shade, while those with a high percentage of white coat did not seek shade.