Rising temperatures impact Australia's sheep production

Research has highlighted the vulnerability of Australian sheep production to climate change, reported Xinhua.

Heat stress from current and predicted increases in temperature impairs lambing rates and birth weights in the Australian sheep flock, according to the research article published on Nature Food on Friday.

Livestock heat stress threatens production, particularly in semi-arid, arid and tropical regions, it said, adding that heat stress poses risks at key periods of the reproductive cycle, with consequences across the Australian sheep flock.

Heat stress already leads to around 2.1 million fewer lambs being born each year, but that figure could rise to 3.3 million if temperatures increase another 3 degrees, said researchers from the University of Adelaide.

"Thermal environment is the largest single stressor affecting the development, growth and reproduction of sheep, especially those managed in extensive pasture-based systems typical of Australia and other countries including China, India, Nigeria, Sudan and Iran," the research article said.

The study found that heat stress during mating already reduces the number of lambs born by nine percent, costing 97 million a year, and this could drop further to a 14 percent reduction, costing 166 million a year if current temperatures rise by another three degrees, said the research authors who are also from the South Australian Research and Development Institute and the Government of South Australia.

Some Australian states were also more impacted than others, with Queensland sheep feeling the heat more than those in other states. Heat also impacts how many lambs survive to weaning, and these losses could cost a further 278 million Australian dollars (184.67 million U.S. dollars) with 3 degrees of warming, the article said.