Nutritional and Management Strategies for Heat-Stressed Ruminants

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 1604

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences (SAFES), Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Interests: nutrition; calf health; dairy cow
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Global climate change has intensified the frequency and severity of heatwaves, threatening the sustainability and profitability of ruminant livestock production. Prolonged exposure to elevated environmental temperatures compromises feed intake, metabolic efficiency, immune function, and productivity. This Special Issue will advance scientific knowledge on innovative nutritional and management strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of heat stress in ruminant livestock, including beef and dairy cattle. Further, contributions focusing on young calves, an underexplored area critical to the long-term sustainability and economic viability of livestock farming, are strongly encouraged. We invite original research and review articles focusing on nutritional interventions, encompassing the use of plant-derived bioactives, probiotics, prebiotics, and precision feeding strategies; electrolyte balance adjustments, dietary energy and protein optimization; and climate-adaptive housing and cooling technologies. Contributions assessing the long-term consequences of prenatal and early-life heat stress, as well as strategies to mitigate transgenerational effects on offspring health and performance, are also highly encouraged. Through this Special Issue, we will establish a comprehensive framework for sustainable, climate-resilient solutions enhancing the resilience of ruminants in heat-stressed environments.

Dr. Farhad Ahmadi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • climate-resilient feeding
  • global warming
  • heat stress mitigation
  • prenatal heat stress
  • sustainable ruminant production

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 634 KB  
Review
Computer Vision in Dairy Farm Management: A Literature Review of Current Applications and Future Perspectives
by Veronica Antognoli, Livia Presutti, Marco Bovo, Daniele Torreggiani and Patrizia Tassinari
Animals 2025, 15(17), 2508; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15172508 - 26 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1093
Abstract
Computer vision is rapidly transforming the field of dairy farm management by enabling automated, non-invasive monitoring of animal health, behavior, and productivity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent applications of computer vision in dairy farming management operations, including cattle identification and [...] Read more.
Computer vision is rapidly transforming the field of dairy farm management by enabling automated, non-invasive monitoring of animal health, behavior, and productivity. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent applications of computer vision in dairy farming management operations, including cattle identification and tracking, and consequently the assessment of feeding and rumination behavior, body condition score, lameness and lying behavior, mastitis and milk yield, and social behavior and oestrus. By synthesizing findings from recent studies, we highlight how computer vision systems contribute to improving animal welfare and enhancing productivity and reproductive performance. The paper also discusses current technological limitations, such as variability in environmental conditions and data integration challenges, as well as opportunities for future development, particularly through the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This review aims to guide researchers and practitioners toward more effective adoption of vision-based technologies in precision livestock farming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutritional and Management Strategies for Heat-Stressed Ruminants)
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