Which environmental factor can adversely affect livestock nutrition?

Extreme temperatures can significantly impact livestock nutrition by affecting both the animals’ metabolism and their ability to consume and digest feed. High temperatures can lead to heat stress, which can reduce feed intake and impair digestive efficiency. Animals under heat stress often consume less feed, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies if not managed appropriately. Additionally, extreme cold can increase energy requirements for maintaining body temperature, thus demanding higher nutrient intake to meet these increased needs. Both scenarios create challenges for livestock management, as they necessitate adjustment in feeding strategies to ensure that animals receive an adequate balance of nutrients under varying environmental stressors.

In contrast, consistent rainfall typically contributes to more reliable pasture growth and feed availability, stable feeding conditions imply less variation in feeding practices, and low humidity generally poses fewer risks to livestock nutrition compared to temperature extremes.