Given the importance of livestock to the global economy, there is a substantial need for world-class reference material on the sustainable management of livestock in diverse eco-regions. With uncertain climates involving unpredictable extreme events (e.g., heat, drought, infectious disease), environmental stresses are becoming the most crucial factors affecting livestock productivity. By systematically and comprehensively addressing all aspects of environmental stresses and livestock productivity, this volume is a useful tool for understanding the various intricacies of stress physiology. With information and case studies collected and analyzed by professionals working in diversified ecological zones, this book explores the influence of the environment on livestock production across global biomes. The challenges the livestock industry faces in maintaining the delicate balance between animal welfare and production are also highlighted.

Environmental stress is one of the most significant factors affecting livestock performance and health, and it is only expected to increase with effects of global warming. Environmental Physiology of Livestock brings together the latest research on environmental physiology, summarizing progress in the field and providing directions for future research. Recent developments in estimating heat stress loads are discussed, as well as key studies in metabolism, reproduction, and genetic expressions. Environmental Physiology of Livestock begins with a survey of current heat indexing tools, highlighting recent discoveries in animal physiology, changes in productivity levels, and new technologies available to better estimate stress response. Using this synopsis as a point of orientation, later chapters hone in on major effects of heat stress, including changing metabolic pathways and nutrient requirements, endocrine regulation of acclimation to environmental stress, and reduced reproductive performance. The text concludes with a thorough discussion of environmental effects on gene expressions, providing important insight for future breeding practices. Environmental Physiology of Livestock is a globally contributed volume and a key resource for animal science researchers, geneticists, and breeders.

How do mammals manage to maintain their body temperature within the same narrow range in environments as different as polar regions and hot deserts? This advanced text describes the morphological features and physiological mechanisms by which humans and other mammals maintain their body temperature within a narrow range despite large variations in climatic conditions and internal heat production. Its 19 chapters deal with the physics of heat exchange with the environment, and the autonomic and behavioural mechanisms available to control the loss and production of heat. The neuronal basis of temperature regulation and current concepts of the central nervous interface between temperature signals generated in the body and control mechanisms are examined in detail. This book is of invaluable help for undergraduates, postgraduates, teachers, physicians and scientists.

This volume addresses in detail both livestock’s role in climate change and the impacts of climate change on livestock production and reproduction. Apart from these cardinal principles of climate change and livestock production, this volume also examines the various strategies used to mitigate livestock-related GHG emissions, and those which can reduce the impacts of climate change on livestock production and reproduction. Presenting information and case studies collected and analyzed by professionals working in diversified ecological zones, the book explores the influence of climate change on livestock production across the globe. The most significant feature of this book is that it addresses in detail the different adaptation strategies and identifies targets for different stakeholders in connection with climate change and livestock production. Further, it puts forward development plans that will allow the livestock industries to cope with current climate changes and strategies that will mitigate the effects by 2025. Lastly, it provides researchers and policymakers several researchable priorities to help develop economically viable solutions for livestock production with less GHG emissions, promoting a cleaner environment in which human beings and livestock can live in harmony without adverse effects on productivity. Given that livestock production systems are sensitive to climate change and at the same are themselves a contributor to the phenomenon, climate change has the potential to pose an increasingly formidable challenge to the development of the livestock sector. However, there is a dearth of scientific information on adapting livestock production to the changing climate; as such, well-founded reference material on sustaining livestock production systems under the changing climate scenarios in different agro-ecological zones of the world is essential. By methodically and extensively addressing all aspects of climate change and livestock production, this volume offers a valuable tool for understanding the hidden intricacies of climatic stress and its influence on livestock production.

Dr. Anjali Aggarwal is working as a Senior Scientist at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (India). She holds a PhD degree in Animal Physiology and is involved in research and teaching at post-graduate level. Her area of research work is stress and environmental physiology. She has more than 50 publications, two technical bulletins, four manuals and many book chapters to her credit. She has successfully guided many post-graduate and PhD students. Her major research accomplishments are on microclimatic modification for alleviation of heat and cold stress, mist and fan cooling systems for cows and buffaloes, and use of wallowing tank in buffaloes. Her work involves the use of technology of supplementing micronutrients during dry period and early lactation to crossbred and indigenous cows for alleviating metabolic and oxidative stress and improved health and productivity. Studies are also done in her lab on partitioning of heat loss from skin and pulmonary system of cattle and buffaloes as a result of exercise or exposure to heat stress. Dr. R.C. Upadhyay is working as Head, Dairy Cattle Physiology Division at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal (India). He graduated in Veterinary Sciences and obtained his PhD degree in Animal Physiology. His area of recent research is climate change, stress, and environmental physiology. His major research accomplishment is on climate change impact assessment of milk production and growth in livestock. His work also involves studying methane conversion and emission factors for Indian livestock and use of IPCC methodology of methane inventory of Indian livestock. Heat shock protein-70 expression studies in cattle and buffaloes are also done in his lab. Draught animal power evaluation, fatigue assessment, work-rest cycle and work limiting factors form the highlights of his work. Studies on partitioning of heat loss from skin and pulmonary system of cattle and buffaloes and electrocardiographic studies in cattle, buffalo, sheep and goat are also undertaken in his lab. He has more than 75 research papers, four books and several book chapters to his credit. Technologies developed and research done by him include methodology of methane measurement: open and closed circuit for cattle and buffaloes; inventory of methane emission from livestock using IPCC methodology; livestock stress index: thermal stress measurement based on physiological functions; and draught power evaluation system and large animal treadmill system. He received training in Radio-nuclides in medicine at Australian School of Nuclear Technology, Lucas heights, NSW, Australia in 1985 and Use of radioisotopes in cardiovascular investigations at CSIRO, Prospect, NSW, Australia, during 1985-86. He has guided several post-graduate and PhD students. He is recipient of Hari Om Ashram Award-1990 (ICAR) for outstanding research in animal sciences.