Heatwaves are roasting millions of farmed animals alive

Drink water, stay in the shade, protect your skin – as we live through intense heatwaves this summer, these recommendations are everywhere. The human death toll from the heat is already in the tens of thousands – but what about the billions of farmed animals crammed into sheds, with nowhere to escape the heat? In France, up to 3 million chickens died from heat in just a few days this June. Some farms in Brittany had to count their losses in thousands. “It is a massive psychological shock for farmers,” the representative of the farmers' union FNSEA, Thierry Houel, told the local public radio ICI Bretagne. In some regions of France, so many animals died that carcass collection and disposal processes couldn't keep up, so farmers were exceptionally allowed to bury their dead animals on farms. Still, burials must be carried out under inspection by hydrogeologists to avoid water contamination. Although on an exceptional scale this year, the problem of animal deaths due to heat is far from new. During the summer of 2003, about five million winged animals died as a result of high temperatures in France. Around 750,000 farmed animals died on 126 farms in northern France during the 2022 heatwave. In the Netherlands, animal welfare group Wakker Dier estimated that heat killed around 163,000 farmed animals in 2019. Czechia has recorded at least 200,000 poultry deaths from heat over the course of the last decade, according to a 2025 report by animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming (CiWF). Not built for this heat While death is the extreme result of heat stress, animals also eat less, become dehydrated and more susceptible to disease, and reproduction can suffer too. Chickens are among the most vulnerable farmed animals because they don't sweat to regulate their body temperature. Instead, they pant and rely on the air and surfaces around them to cool down. In hot, cramped sheds with tens of thousands of birds, that becomes much harder. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says that higher stocking densities only makes it worse. EU rules normally allow 33 kg of live chicken per square metre, rising to 42 kg under optimal conditions like stricter ventilation and climate-control, meaning there are roughly 12 to 15 broiler chickens per square metre. EFSA's welfare assessment recommends way less – about 11 kg, or four birds, per square metre. Pigs, who don't sweat either, are also particularly vulnerable during heatwaves, and cows in open pastures are struggling too. Above 30°C, most farmed animals eat 3-5% less for each additional degree of heat, research cited by CiWF suggests. Who's responsible? The losses are catastrophic for both animals and farmers. French agriculture minister Annie Genevard estimated that about 1% of this year's chicken production was already lost by early July. Pig farmers from Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire report losing up to 30% of their pigs, and the milk sector has seen a 10-30% decrease in production, according to French farmers' union FNSEA. “We do our best to protect our animals, but under these temperatures we are facing a wall,” a pig farmer testified to the local newspaper Ouest-France. Last June, he lost 28 pigs out of 140 in just one week. Farmers are considered legally responsible: EU law requires animal keepers to prevent unnecessary suffering. While there's no single fix for extreme heat, CiWF points to more water and shade, better airflow, fewer animals kept together, and more watering points. It also warns that even these measures may still not be enough under extreme conditions. Some countries already apply some of these measures. Denmark's pig farmers must provide sprinkling or other cooling methods for pigs over 20 kg, and they must be used before temperatures compromise the animals' welfare. The Netherlands has extended heat rules to transport and slaughterhouses and provides farmers with a tool that gives a seven-day heat-stress forecast. France's agriculture ministry told The European Correspondent it's developing a support scheme for misting and ventilation systems in barns and chicken houses. For animals outside, farmers point to a simpler fix: hedges planted around pastures, whose shade can drop temperatures by 10-20°C. These methods can be implemented on high-quality farms, but aren't possible everywhere. According to Jean-Christophe Donval, a veterinarian and chicken farming consultant in Brittany, “we’re pushing our production system to its limits.” Slaughterhouses expect consistent volumes, leaving farmers with no choice but to deliver, regardless of weather conditions. “One solution would be to reduce stocking density on farms during the summer or to adjust the slaughter schedule and minimise the transport of animals during heatwaves,” Donval said. Beyond the next heatwave Asked for their comments on the current situation, the European Commission and French agriculture ministry claimed they are closely monitoring heatwaves and their effects on livestock and agriculture in general. But monitoring won't be enough. For Christopher Brown, global head of research and policy at the CiWF, the problem goes beyond preparing for the next hot day. “Current measures to protect animals and livelihoods are not sufficient,” he told TEC; the repeated deaths across Europe are proof of that. Brown argues governments need to help farmers prepare with early warnings, emergency plans, and infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather. He also has a longer-term answer: financial, technical, and training support could help farmers move away from intensive animal farming towards agro-ecological and regenerative farming. These practices would themselves result in more pasture and trees, healthier soils, and less reliance on tightly-controlled indoor farming. Brown also calls for a broader shift towards more plant-rich diets.