Australia's Sheep Production Impacted By Rising Temperatures

CANBERRA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Mar, 2024) Research has highlighted the vulnerability of Australian sheep production to climate change.

Heat stress from current and predicted increases in temperature impairs lambing rates and birth weights in the Australian sheep flock, according to the research article published on Nature food on Friday.

Livestock heat stress threatens production, particularly in semi-arid, arid and tropical regions, it said, adding that heat stress poses risks at key periods of the reproductive cycle, with consequences across the Australian sheep flock.

Heat stress already leads to around 2.1 million fewer lambs being born each year, but that figure could rise to 3.3 million if temperatures increase another 3 degrees, said researchers from the University of Adelaide.

"Thermal environment is the largest single stressor affecting the development, growth and reproduction of sheep, especially those managed in extensive pasture-based systems typical of Australia and other countries including China, India, Nigeria, Sudan and Iran," the research article said.