Cattle have long been bred for their size, temperament and the taste of their meat. Now researchers are working to breed varieties that can thrive in a warming world.
John Church of Canada's Thompson Rivers University said prolonged extreme heat stress could kill dairy cows.
Church: “But long before you die, it has a huge impact on…their weight gain and their ability to reproduce.”
Some varieties tolerate high temperatures better than others. For example, Senebol cows from St. Croix have short, sparse hair and sweat more, which keeps them cool.
But Senepol cows are not prepared for the cold winter. So Church is working to breed cattle that can withstand the heat and cold snaps that occur in the northern United States and Canada.
For example, he crossed Senebol bulls with Scottish Highland cattle, which grew thick coats in the winter.
Church: “Even though they have these incredible winter fur coats in the winter, they still lose their thick winter fur coat, and they have a very sparse summer fur coat, and they're more heat tolerant.”
So it's a promising way to breed cattle that can better tolerate extreme temperatures, he says.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
We help millions of people understand climate change and what to do about it. Help us reach more people like you.
