Cows Too Stressed to Reach Global Dairy Demand

Drought and heat are stressing out dairy cows and drying up milk production. This imposes a threat on the long-term supply of dairy products from baby formula to butter.

It is predicted that volumes of dairy will lessen by almost half a million metric tons this 2022 in Australia, a major exporter of dairy. This comes as farmers leave the industry after experiencing years of heat waves.

In India, smaller-scale farmers are thinking of investing in equipment to help the cows cool down, but this would mean extra costs on their end.

Meanwhile, French producers had to temporarily halt making one type of high-quality cheese since parched fields would not have grass left for grazing grass-fed cows.

Several of the world’s milk-producing regions are experiencing extreme heat as an effect of climate change. Under extremely hot temperatures, cows are unable to produce as much milk. Aside from the heat, storms and arid conditions add to the problem with destroyed crops and grass, leaving cows with not much to eat.

In the US, experts say that by the end of the century, climate change will cost the dairy sector $2.2 billion per year. One study shows that if greenhouse gas emissions stay high, the meat and dairy industries will lose $39.94 billion each year.

The increasing middle class in developing countries is adding more demand for dairy products while laws protecting the environment are discouraging farmers from production expansion. This means potential shortages and increased prices for these dairy items.

Source: Business Mirror