Heat Stress Hits Dairy Quality as Well as Quantity, Study Finds

Extreme heat has changed what it takes to produce a glass of milk.

By: Melina Walling

Outlets: Sentient

Published: July 20, 2026

Words: 1,674

Last Updated: 1 week ago

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Dairy farmer Megan McAllister knows what it looks like when her cows start getting toasty.

They clump together in groups. Their four-chambered stomachs working on digestion create what she calls their own little “onboard furnace.” And she can measure a drop in how much milk they produce.

“If the girls aren’t comfortable, they aren’t going to be as productive,” McAllister tells Sentient.

Each year, she says her family tries to invest in technology to keep her cows …

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