By Bart Biesemans, Caden Kipfmueller and Charlotte Van Campenhout
BOCHOLT, Belgium, June 25 (Reuters) – Belgium issued a rare “red alert” for extreme heat on Thursday amid a days-long heatwave which has raised concerns about milk and meat production as livestock such as cows and pigs struggle with the scorching weather.
Flemish farming association Boerenbond expects the heatwave to reduce both milk and meat production, though it is too early to give precise figures, a spokesperson said.
Sander Palmans, 35, director of the Agricultural Research and Education Center and a farmer in Bocholt near the Dutch border, said his cows and pigs were suffering from heat stress.
While he uses cooling techniques such as fans to help the animals, the temperatures, which are expected to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), are taking a toll.
Palmans said his cows were less active, ate less and avoided lying down on the warm bedding, all leading to less milk production. Pigs were also affected, with growth down by about 150 grams per day, cutting meat output.
“The heat costs us between €150 and €200 a day,” or 10 to 15% of Palmans’ income, he said.
The Flemish agriculture ministry said the heatwave across much of Europe was affecting mainly livestock farmers, as recent rainfall meant drought was not yet a major concern for crop producers.
“Despite all the measures farmers are taking … you can still see production declining,” said Mark Wulfrancke, a spokesperson for Belgian farmers’ association Algemeen Boerensyndicaat.
In France, extreme heat killed hundreds of thousands of poultry, while reducing feed intake, increasing water demand and cutting milk output for cattle farmers.
Palmans expects heatwaves to become more regular, which means more frequent use of artificial cooling systems. He said the inlet temperature for livestock housing might need to be reduced by as much as 8 C.
“Today it’s an investment for just a few days a year, but we see that hot days are increasing,” he said.
(Reporting by Bart Biesemans, Caden Kipfmueller, Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)