A deadly recent heatwave in Jamaica that killed hundreds of laying hens has sent a stark warning across the Caribbean, prompting agricultural authorities to urge poultry producers to implement urgent heat mitigation measures before the peak mid-year summer heat arrives. The event has laid bare the growing vulnerability of regional poultry production to rising global temperatures, bringing new urgency to preparedness efforts across neighboring island nations.
Mark Campbell, president of the Jamaica Egg Farmers Association (JEFA), confirmed that the island’s egg sector, particularly operations along Jamaica’s southern coast, has already sustained devastating losses. Some small-scale and commercial farmers have lost as many as 700 birds to the extreme sweltering conditions recorded in the recent heat event.
In response to the Jamaican outbreak of heat-related poultry mortality, James Paul, chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), has issued a direct public warning to Barbados’ livestock producers. Paul emphasized that proactive, pre-emptive farm management is non-negotiable to prevent heat stress from wiping out poultry yields as seasonal temperatures climb toward their annual peak. Speaking to local outlet Barbados TODAY, Paul noted that while the full details of Jamaica’s losses are still being assessed, the event is clearly linked to extreme heat conditions, and changing climatic conditions mean Caribbean producers can no longer ignore the growing risk of temperature-related production shocks. “I don’t rejoice on what’s happened in Jamaica,” Paul stated. “I think that it is probably related to the heat conditions there. Environment changes and temperature changes have an impact. While I am not fully aware as to what the issues are, that’s something we have to follow up. But again, I just want to sound the warning to our local producers.”
As of the warning, Barbados has not yet recorded extreme temperature spikes this season, but Paul cautioned that the most high-risk period for heat stress is just around the corner. Poultry physiology makes the species particularly vulnerable to high ambient temperatures: unmanaged heat exposure triggers heat stress, which reduces birds’ feed conversion efficiency, slows growth rates, and leads to widespread mortality if producers do not intervene quickly. Historical data from the region confirms this pattern, and Paul says there is no reason to expect this summer to be an exception. “We have not really seen high temperatures as yet, but as we get closer and closer into the summer months, there will be high temperatures,” Paul explained. “The whole question of heat stress is something that has had a negative impact on birds in the past, and we don’t anticipate anything different going into the summer.”
To reduce barriers for farmers looking to protect their flocks, the BAS is actively promoting a government-backed rebate program specifically designed to cut internal temperatures inside poultry coops. Under the initiative, individual producers can claim rebates of up to 15,000 Barbados dollars to purchase specialized heat-reflective roof paint, a low-cost intervention that drastically reduces the amount of heat absorbed into coop structures, keeping internal temperatures significantly cooler during heatwaves. Paul stressed that the program is especially critical for small-scale producers, who often lack the capital to invest in more expensive cooling infrastructure. The BAS is standing by to assist producers with every step of the application process, directing interested farmers to relevant officials at the Ministry of Agriculture to access the rebate.
Paul urged producers to adopt a proactive “boy scout” mindset, preparing their facilities well before heat stress sets in. He noted that once losses occur, post-event complaints are futile when clear early warnings have already been issued to the sector.
Andrew Lewis, general manager of Barbados’ major chick supplier Gale’s Agro Products Limited, corroborated the warning, confirming that while his firm’s primary hatchery has not recorded abnormal heat-related mortality so far this year, high mid-year temperatures are a persistent, recurring hazard for poultry producers across the island. “We are not experiencing anything like what you would have described in Jamaica at present,” Lewis said. “But certainly in the last few years, in the hotter summer months, the incidences of mortality and lower growth among our customers is a feature.”
As a leading hatchery that supplies day-old chicks to farmers across the country, Gale’s Agro Products has already implemented extensive in-transit cooling precautions to ensure flock survival before delivery. However, Lewis emphasized that long-term flock resilience ultimately rests on individual farm management practices once chicks arrive at their destination. “We are primarily a hatchery, so we are sending out day-old chicks to farmers. Obviously, we send them out in as best ventilated or cool conditions as we can. However, once they arrive at the farmer, of course, then it really lies with the farmer,” he explained.
Lewis added that the most challenging heat conditions typically arrive later in the seasonal cycle, with late August, September, and October historically bringing the most dangerous heat pressure for Caribbean poultry flocks. In line with official guidance, he is urging all poultry managers to inspect and test ventilation systems in advance, activate cooling measures ahead of temperature spikes, and ensure all heat mitigation infrastructure is secured to help flocks withstand the coming heat.