Nutritional Strategies to Mitigate Heat Stress in Cattle: A Narrative Review

Heat stress is a growing concern in cattle production systems due to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events driven by climate change. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the multifaceted impacts of heat stress and focuses on nutritional strategies to mitigate its effects on ruminating cattle. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Heat stress adversely affects cattle physiology, behavior, rumen function, and overall productivity, particularly in dairy animals with high metabolic activity. During heat stress episodes, changes in the microbial population have been reported; however, there is no clear consensus, as findings vary widely among studies depending on diet, feed intake, animal type and experimental design. This variability limits the ability to draw general conclusions regarding changes in the rumen microbiome driven by heat stress. In this context, dietary nutritional intervention strategies offer a practical and scalable approach to enhance thermotolerance and maintain performance under heat stress conditions. Key nutritional strategies include modifications in diet composition to reduce metabolic heat production, with some approaches carrying potential risks to animal health, e.g., increasing dietary energy density through concentrates while minimizing forage content. Supplementation with rumen-protected nutrients like amino acids, vitamins, and minerals can be used to support immune function, antioxidant capacity, and metabolic stability. Polyphenols and betaine contribute to oxidative stress reduction and gut integrity, while probiotics may be used to improve rumen fermentation and nutrient utilization. Sensor technologies, including rumen boluses and wearable devices, offer the potential to monitor physiological responses to heat stress in real time and offer opportunities for precision feeding and early intervention. Most published studies only cover short periods of heat stress, and there is a lack of in vitro models simulating rumen hyperthermia. In parallel, future research should therefore prioritize longitudinal, in vivo trials that integrate physiological, metabolic, and microbial responses to understand the long term and systemic effect of heat stress. In addition, controlled trials in commercial settings are necessary to prove the transferability of results to commercial herds. A multidisciplinary approach combining nutritional, environmental, and technological strategies is likely to play an important role in safeguarding cattle welfare and productivity in a warming climate.