The SheepHeatIT EU Project Has Started: Bringing Climate-Resilient Sheep Farming Through Innovation & Data
The SheepHeatIT project started in June 2026 and is supported by the EU Horizon Europe program. The project will run for four years and will focus on finding innovative ways to improve sheep heat resilience.
The SheepHeatIT project focuses on developing innovative methods to identify and raise resilient sheep. The initiative works with farmers and stakeholders to share knowledge and data and find innovative solutions to help the sheep farming sector adapt to climate change. The Agricultural Research Organisation of Israel coordinates the SheepHeatIT project – The Volcani Centre, representing 16 international partners from 8 countries, who have joined forces to generate know-how in animal science, genetics, breeding, and digital technologies for sustainable sheep production systems
What is the issue?
World climate change is challenging livestock farming and threatening food security in many countries. Livestock farming is one of the most vulnerable economic sectors to climate change, with sheep farming particularly vulnerable.
The sheep sector contributes significantly to food security due to its critical role in maintaining natural ecosystems through extensive grazing. Nevertheless, current trends in climate change present a serious threat to sheep farming, as extreme temperatures, among other environmental factors, profoundly impact animal welfare, reproduction, production, and sustainability.
Despite the many negative implications of climate change for sheep farming, it is important to note that sheep have developed several adaptations that enable them to tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions. Local sheep breeds often possess desirable features that allow them to better withstand the effects of climate change. However, these characteristics are poorly studied and largely unutilized in innovative sheep breeding programs.
It is the objective of the new Horizon Europe project SheepHeatIT to ensure the future of sustainable sheep farming through the development of progressive strategies for breeding climate-resilient sheep.
Why is this important?
Sheep farming is essential for many European agricultural areas. It is a vital activity that promotes food production, biodiversity, traditional cultural heritage, and high-quality landscapes. However, the sheep sector is currently under serious threat due to impending climate change.
When external temperatures rise above those with which the animal is comfortable, heat stress occurs. Heat stress has a highly detrimental effect on all stages and aspects of sheep production, from fertility and reproduction to the quantity and quality of meat and wool, as well as the animal’s overall wellbeing. The rising temperatures are imposing serious challenges on sheep farmers, with traditional farming methods proving largely ineffective in countering the effects of climate change.
While adjusting husbandry practices or farm infrastructure is often the preferred solution to the problem of climate change, such expensive measures are not always viable or accessible. Moreover, these interventions often fail to consider the specific local environmental conditions and do not account for farmers’ individual preferences.
SheepHeatIT will take a different approach and focus on breeding climate-resilient sheep that will be able to naturally withstand the effects of higher temperatures. SheepHeatIT will leverage digital technologies and scientific research to provide valuable insights into the biological mechanisms involved in sheep thermoregulation. The findings will then be used to develop novel, long-lasting, and cost-effective strategies for sustainable sheep farming in a changing climate
What will the project do?
SheepHeatIT will tackle the issue of sheep heat-stress by uniting 16 international partners from 8 countries, covering a broad range of competencies from genetics and animal science to data science and digital technologies. Over the course of four years, the project will research and compile data on the characteristics of different sheep breeds and production systems and identify those features that enable sheep to better withstand high temperatures.
The findings of SheepHeatIT will help understand the mechanisms behind sheep resilience to high temperatures and support the development of innovative breeding strategies for cultivating thermally adaptable sheep. The project will also work on compiling and analyzing existing data to identify valuable traits for future reference.
Furthermore, SheepHeatIT will work on developing digital tools that can help farmers, scientists, stakeholders, and policymakers access and utilize data for breeding more adaptable sheep.
Who are we?
The SheepHeatIT project will build partnerships between stakeholders, researchers, farmers, and policymakers at both international and local levels. The project will utilize a Living Lab approach, engaging local farmers and stakeholders in the research and innovation process in order to ensure the practical implementation and applicability of the findings.
SheepHeatIT will develop new knowledge and innovative solutions in close collaboration with sheep farmers and breeders, veterinary experts, national policymakers, agricultural stakeholders, and researchers. By uniting scientists and farmers from different backgrounds and working conditions, SheepHeatIT will generate valuable insights that will form the basis for future climate-resilient sheep breeding strategies.
New resilient sheep farming approaches
Current climate change trends require a paradigm shift in agricultural practices. The SheepHeatIT project will demonstrate the role that science and innovation can play in supporting the sheep farming sector in adapting to changing climatic conditions.
By focusing on the natural heat resilience of sheep and leveraging the latest scientific findings, SheepHeatIT will help develop breeding strategies that promote sheep wellbeing while also ensuring sustainability and profitability in farming.
SheepHeatIT encourages you to stay up to date with all project news. All the latest announcements and research results will be posted on the SheepHeatIT website, while the project’s social media accounts, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube, will post project highlights and interesting facts about sheep farming.