Impacts of Climate Change on Cattle Health and Production in the Brazilian Amazon Biome

Climate change poses significant challenges to livestock, particularly in tropical regions. The Amazon biome, which hosts one of the world’s largest cattle populations, faces growing risks of nutritional, metabolic, and infectious diseases driven by heat stress (HS) and environmental instability. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from primary studies, international reports (IPCC, FAO), and peer-reviewed literature on cattle physiology, disease dynamics, and climate adaptation. HS reduces feed intake, disrupts endocrine–metabolic homeostasis, and suppresses immunity, increasing susceptibility to metabolic, deficiency and infectious diseases. Breed-specific immune responses offer opportunities for genetic and management-based adaptation. Socio-economic impacts disproportionately affect smallholders, linking livestock health to food security and poverty. Ensuring sustainable cattle production in the Amazon will require climate-smart strategies integrating nutrition, genetics, reproduction, and health management, supported by policies that align adaptation and mitigation. Future research should prioritize immune-metabolic biomarkers, periparturient disease monitoring, and genomic tools for thermotolerance.