Climate change and livestock : Impacts and mitigation
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P Mayengbam and TC Tolenkhomba
Contd from previous issue
The extent of decline in milk yield occurs less at mid gestation stage than either late or early stage. The negative impact of cold wave or heat wave on milk yield of buffaloes are not only observed on next day of extreme event but also on the subsequent day(s), thereby indicating that heat and cold waves cause short to long term cumulative effect on milk yield takes 2-5 days normally, however a variable response may also be observed in individual depending on stage of lactation (Upadhayay et al., 2013).
A rise in temperature due to global warming will impact high producing animals and they need to be cooled artificially either by sprinklers or by increasing wind velocity or air movement to sustain milk production. High producing crossbred cows vulnerable to thermal stress and unable to maintain thermal through skin and pulmonary evaporation requires protection from direct solar radiation during summer water use for animals’ intake and maintenance.
Animal Reproduction
Reproduction efficiency of both livestock sexes may be affected by heat stress. The livestock species more vulnerable to climate changes are cattle and buffaloes than sheep and goats. In most agro-climatic zones of India the average temperature throughout the year is in the range of mild to moderate stress of IHI range. THI levels during the year indicate that animals are under constant stress from March to October at about 200 locations spread all over India except high altitudes (Upadhyay et al., 2013).
Animals maintained under open housing conditions in rural sector exhibit seasonality in breeding and reproductive rhythm and in some cases the marked seasonal variations are observed. The incidence of calving is predominant in a precise period from October to March. The climate change scenario leading to a rise in temperature with higher intensity of radiant heat load is likely to impact reproductive rhythm through pineal-hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal axis. The effects may be more pronounced in animal species like buffaloes, which due to higher thermal loads and limited capacity to dissipate heat may be severely stressed. Scarcity of water resources may further compound effects on production. Therefore, mitigation measures and strategies need to be adopted not only to reduce stress on animals but also to curtail fertility losses and other health consequences thereof. (To be contd)
Contd from previous issue
The extent of decline in milk yield occurs less at mid gestation stage than either late or early stage. The negative impact of cold wave or heat wave on milk yield of buffaloes are not only observed on next day of extreme event but also on the subsequent day(s), thereby indicating that heat and cold waves cause short to long term cumulative effect on milk yield takes 2-5 days normally, however a variable response may also be observed in individual depending on stage of lactation (Upadhayay et al., 2013).
A rise in temperature due to global warming will impact high producing animals and they need to be cooled artificially either by sprinklers or by increasing wind velocity or air movement to sustain milk production. High producing crossbred cows vulnerable to thermal stress and unable to maintain thermal through skin and pulmonary evaporation requires protection from direct solar radiation during summer water use for animals’ intake and maintenance.
Animal Reproduction
Reproduction efficiency of both livestock sexes may be affected by heat stress. The livestock species more vulnerable to climate changes are cattle and buffaloes than sheep and goats. In most agro-climatic zones of India the average temperature throughout the year is in the range of mild to moderate stress of IHI range. THI levels during the year indicate that animals are under constant stress from March to October at about 200 locations spread all over India except high altitudes (Upadhyay et al., 2013).
Animals maintained under open housing conditions in rural sector exhibit seasonality in breeding and reproductive rhythm and in some cases the marked seasonal variations are observed. The incidence of calving is predominant in a precise period from October to March. The climate change scenario leading to a rise in temperature with higher intensity of radiant heat load is likely to impact reproductive rhythm through pineal-hypothalamo-hypophyseal-gonadal axis. The effects may be more pronounced in animal species like buffaloes, which due to higher thermal loads and limited capacity to dissipate heat may be severely stressed. Scarcity of water resources may further compound effects on production. Therefore, mitigation measures and strategies need to be adopted not only to reduce stress on animals but also to curtail fertility losses and other health consequences thereof. (To be contd)