The effects of climate change on livestock production systems: the cases of mycotoxins in animal feed and animal heat stress

Climate change (CC) will have important effects on the productivity and quality of crops and livestock production systems. This contribution addresses two specific and likely impacts of CC on livestock production systems: the contamination of livestock feed by mycotoxins and animal health under heat stress (HS) conditions. Regarding the former, mycotoxins - secondary metabolites, harmful to both human health and food security, produced by filamentous fungi. Harmful consequences are either direct, through the consumption of contaminated food, or indirect, through the intake of milk and other products obtained from livestock fed with contaminated feeds, which also affects animal health and wellbeing. Another effect of CC relates to animal HS, which occurs when the body temperature is higher than the optimal range specified for the normal activity. Heat-stressed animals change their metabolism and physiology in response to weather conditions. This contribution discusses these two key issues based on literature and presents the experimental tests that are being conducted in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the University of Pisa in order to assess the effects of different farming systems on mycotoxins levels in Zea mais L. and the wellness of animals under HS conditions.