Animal production under climate change: a global scientometric analysis of research structure, thematic evolution, and knowledge gaps.

Climate change is a major driver of transformation in livestock systems; however, existing reviews remain fragmented, often addressing environmental impacts or adaptation strategies in isolation, without systematically integrating the structure, evolution, and knowledge gaps of the field. This study addresses this limitation through a comprehensive bibliometric-scientometric analysis of global research on climate change and animal production. A total of 1,694 peer-reviewed articles and reviews indexed in Scopus (1974-2025) were retrieved using a structured search applied to titles, abstracts, and keywords. Data were processed through duplicate removal and keyword harmonization, and analyzed using Bibliometrix (R) and VOSviewer to perform co-occurrence network analysis, thematic clustering, and temporal trend evaluation. Results indicate a sustained annual growth rate of 9.47% and increasing international collaboration (35.71%), reflecting the rapid expansion of the field. The co-occurrence network reveals a highly interconnected structure, with "climate change" acting as the central organizing concept linking environmental, physiological, genetic, and production-related domains. Thematic analysis shows that research on greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts is well established, whereas emerging areas-such as climate-smart agriculture, One Health, and integrated sustainability frameworks-remain less connected to applied and policy-oriented research. Temporal trends highlight a shift, particularly after 2015, from impact-oriented studies toward more integrated approaches incorporating sustainability, animal welfare, resilience, and adaptive management, alongside increasing use of digital tools such as modeling and machine learning. In addition, life cycle modeling further indicates that the field remains in an early expansion stage, having reached approximately 11.6% of its estimated saturation level, with continued growth expected over the coming decades. Despite this progress, important gaps persist, particularly regarding the translation of scientific knowledge into practice and the uneven geographic distribution of research efforts. Strengthening region-specific and socially inclusive research, enhancing the integration between technological innovation and field-level application, and advancing interdisciplinary frameworks are key priorities to improve the adaptive capacity of livestock systems. By mapping the structure, evolution, and gaps of the field, this study provides a robust basis to inform future research agendas and support the transition toward more resilient and sustainable livestock systems under climate change.