A systematic review on the challenges facing Latin-American tropical dairy cattle production

Driven by population growth and ascending prosperity, the demand for high-quality protein and especially dairy products is expected to surge in developing countries, particularly in tropical regions. However, satiating this appetite through intensified production poses significant challenges including rising feed costs, limited resource availability, and heat stress. Tropical livestock farming dominates the global scene when it comes to the number of animals, output, and stakeholders. Similarly, Latin America's tropical regions have been rapidly integrated into development, with large-scale dairy production as a primary economic driver, but hasty expansion has led to severe ecosystem degradation, highlighting the need for more sustainable planning. This review focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities associated with dairy production, animal health, and nutrition in tropical climates. Tropical dairy systems face interconnected environmental, nutritional, health, economic, and social constraints that can reduce productivity, profitability, animal welfare, and product quality. Heat stress, feed scarcity, variable forage quality, and disease pressure impair animal performance and increase production costs. Addressing these challenges requires integrated strategies combining heat-adapted genetics, improved nutrition, preventive health, efficient resource use, and precision technologies. In tropical Latin America, sustainable intensification also requires protecting natural resources. Collaboration among farmers, researchers, industry, and governments is essential to develop locally adapted solutions that enhance productivity, resilience, sustainability, and food security.