Rising temperatures linked to climate change are slashing milk production globally, even on high-tech farms equipped with cooling systems, a new international study has found.
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, and the University of Chicago revealed that just one day of extreme heat can reduce a cow’s milk output by up to 10 percent, with effects lingering for more than a week.
Despite widespread use of fans and water sprays, these cooling methods only partially mitigate the damage, signaling the urgent need for more effective solutions.
“Climate change will have wide-ranging impacts on what we eat and drink, including that cold glass of milk,” said Eyal Frank, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago and one of the study’s authors.
“Even the most high-tech, well-resourced farms are deploying adaptation strategies that may be an insufficient match to climate change.”
Using 12 years of data from more than 130,000 cows across Israel – a global leader in dairy innovation – the study found that milk output drops sharply when “wet-bulb” temperatures (a measure of heat and humidity) exceed 26°C. Recovery can take more than 10 days.
Without intervention, major dairy producers like India, Pakistan, Brazil, the US, and China could face 3.5 percent to 4 percent daily losses in milk yield per cow by mid-century.
The scientists focused on Israel’s dairy sector – a global leader in dairy efficiency and innovation. Analyzing data from more than 130,000 cows across 12 years, the researchers tracked local weather patterns and surveyed more than 300 dairy farmers.
Their goal: to quantify how heat stress, particularly on humid days, affects milk production and the usefulness of current mitigation efforts. The team’s findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed Science Advances journal.
“The dairy industry in Israel is a good testbed,” explained Ram Fishman, associate professor of public policy at Tel Aviv University.
“Farms are scattered across the country and exposed to a range of climatic conditions similar to those in many top milk-producing nations. Plus, Israeli dairy farms are among the most technologically advanced in the world.”
The study, published in Science Advances, urges policymakers to explore additional strategies beyond cooling – including stress-reduction practices – to protect both dairy animals and food security. (PNA)