Weather and Climate and Animal Production

Weather and climate influence both farm animal production and agronomic production. There are many differences, some obvious and some subtle, in the way animals and plants respond directly and indirectly to given environments, however. Chapter 9 focuses principally on the applications of meteorology to agronomic agriculture. This chapter is biometeorologically oriented: it explores the applications of weather and climate information to sustain or improve on-farm animal performance, such as survival, growth, reproduction, and milk and wool production. Management intervention is needed not only to improve the genetic potential of the animals, but also to help overcome the constraints on production set by the climate, the physical environment and the health hazards in a region. On-farm decisions usually involve selection, design and management of production facilities, while the collective impacts may guide regional or national policy, determine responses to potential large-scale changes, or influence other decisions. The case for understanding the implications of regional and local climates affecting those decisions is self-evident, as is the need for timely forecasts to trigger management anticipation and response to adverse conditions. 12.1.1 Background