THE IMPACT OF HEAT STRESS ON DAIRY COW PRODUCTION

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the impact of heat stress on dairy cow production, highlighting its physiological, productive, and economic effects, as well as management strategies for mitigation. The study evaluates how prolonged periods of heat compromise essential physiological functions, such as follicular growth, embryonic persistence, and colostrum quality, while causing metabolic alterations, including respiratory alkalosis, reduced dry matter intake, and ruminal pH imbalances. The research shows that the effects of heat stress vary according to the herd’s production profile, farm infrastructure, and heat intensity, being more critical in high-producing animals that require intensive management strategies. The combination of shading, ventilation, sprinklers, and nutritional adjustments emerges as the most effective approach, adaptable to regional and climatic characteristics. The study also emphasizes the relevance of animal welfare as an inseparable component of productive efficiency, showing that strategic planning should integrate environmental, nutritional, and technological measures. In the context of global climate change and the intensification of extreme heat events, adopting preventive and adaptive practices is essential to ensure thermal comfort, productivity, bovine health, and economic sustainability of the dairy sector.