Barbados’ dairy sector is sweating through another potential heat-driven crisis, according to officials in the sector.
Rising temperatures are slashing milk yields and cow fertility, just as farmers struggle to rebound from 2024’s production shortfall.
National milk production has seen significant dips over the past year, with contributing factors including heat stress, reduced availability of lactating cows, and mechanical challenges at the processing level. The decline strained the sector’s recovery and contributed to reported millions in losses to the local milk processor.
The CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society, James Paul, said the industry has not yet bounced back, and the current hot weather is threatening to stall progress.
“We are now trying to increase the milking herd, so therefore, at this point, to have the high temperatures that we’re experiencing isn’t good because our production is not back up to where we need it to be. This, of course, will only exacerbate the situation,” he told Barbados TODAY on Tuesday.
Paul noted that while some farmers have installed freestall barns or cooling infrastructure, many cannot afford such investments. The impact, he said, varies by farm and location, with higher temperatures contributing to reduced milk output and increased stress on animals.
He added that water intake tends to rise significantly during hot spells, making hydration and shade even more critical.
“You have to make the lives of the animals as comfortable as possible,” Paul advised struggling farmers. “Provide proper accommodation, ensure access to water, and offer some form of protection during the day. Sometimes you see cows in open pastures, that’s not ideal unless there are trees or shaded areas where they can gather to escape the heat.”
Head of the Dairy Association Patrick Butcher confirmed that the heat is already affecting performance on some farms. He said cows are eating less, which impacts their nutritional intake, lowers fertility, and leads to reduced production of both milk and meat.
“There is a knock-on effect where the heat is concerned,” he shared. “Their fertility is impacted significantly… so consequently you see a drop in milk and meat production.”
Butcher clarified that while there have been no reports of heat-related animal deaths, productivity losses are real and mounting.
As part of longer-term resilience planning, the Dairy Association is working on importing dairy genetics, specifically semen and potentially live animals, from Brazil, where cattle are bred for tropical conditions similar to those in Barbados.
“These animals have been bred in Brazil, which has the same climate as we do in Barbados,” Butcher said. “We’re still working on that, with a view to importing semen in the near future.”
However, he noted that such imports would have to come from disease-free zones and meet Barbados’ veterinary health standards, requiring the Veterinary Department to set up the necessary sanitary framework.
Barbados already has protocols in place for trade in livestock and animal products with the United States and Canada, but not yet with Brazil. Butcher said that the process is still ongoing.
When contacted, however, Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir said he was not aware of any such discussions or requests regarding import arrangements.
“Nobody has approached me about bringing any animals into Barbados from Brazil or anywhere, and neither has anyone approached me to discuss the matter of heat tolerance among animals and stuff like that,” Weir said.
“I have a marketing committee that deals with all of those matters, and I get my reports as they come up. But nobody has approached me about any such thing.”
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Brazil initiative, both Paul and Butcher said farmers remain committed to adapting their practices to protect animal health and national food security.
Alongside shade and hydration, some are implementing misting systems and ventilation units to manage animal stress during the hottest times of day. Butcher noted that while some of these technologies are proving useful, some farmers “are just doing their best” with limited resources. (SM)
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