A new scientific study described in a recent article in Scientific American looked at the impacts of raising livestock in a hot climate. The research determined that hogs raised in hot conditions gained less weight and muscle, reducing the amount of meat produced. At the same time, fertility goes down, reducing the number of piglets that are produced. This has implications for areas of the world where temperatures are rising, especially nighttime temperatures, since raising livestock would require more feed and water, among other resources. In the US, it is mainly an economic issue, since producers could provide more cooling to overcome the issues with heat stress. But in other countries where this is not an option, it might reduce the amount of high-quality protein that is produced, affecting food supplies. You can read the article at https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-warming-climate-could-make-pigs-produce-less-meat/.
