Animal Health Solutions Are Key To Reaching Our Emissions Targets

By Mark Ross

Animal diseases are associated with significant increases in livestock greenhouse gas emissions and land use, and reduced productivity. In addition, they pose a threat to food security.

Animals suffer from various diseases, some of which can be fatal. Even non-fatal diseases have detrimental effects on animal welfare, productivity, and the livelihood of farmers. For instance, a cow that is ill may experience reduced milk production or become unsafe for meat consumption. This results in constrained supply chains, potential shortages for consumers and, wasted investment and lost earnings for the farmer.

On the other hand, well-managed livestock can be expected to live longer, healthier lives – making them more productive and environmentally sustainable. Innovation in veterinary care has proven successful in improving the survival rates of livestock, which improves farmer returns and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Taking preventative measures such as vaccinating or deworming offers greater productivity, which leads to higher farm incomes and more food availability for consumers.

A report by Oxford Analytica, commissioned by HealthforAnimals, provides a clear picture on the economic returns of taking preventative measures. Through better adoption of existing best practices and technologies, The Animal Health and Sustainability: a Global Data Analysis report, calculates that livestock could comfortably serve a world population of 9.8 billion by 2050 without increasing current emission levels. This reduced emissions intensity means livestock could meet the protein needs of an additional 1.6 billion people without increasing livestock’s overall GHG emissions level.

The findings are corroborated by other sources such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which estimates that ‘advanced genetics, feeding systems, animal health controls and other technologies over the past four decades allowed industrialised countries to reduce their overall land requirements for livestock by 20 percent while doubling meat production’.

With climate change rising in importance globally, finding ways to limit and reduce the environmental footprint of animals in agriculture while continuing to feed a growing population will be a top priority. Improving animal health can increase livestock productivity and limit emissions.

The FAO estimates that livestock GHG emissions could be reduced by 18-30 percent by expanding use of existing best practices and technologies in animal health and husbandry.

Food insecurity will continue to be a major issue for the foreseeable future. Food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to an adequate quality and quantity of nutritious food, and stems from inadequate incomes and high living costs.

Rates of food insecurity have been of concern in New Zealand for a long time, Covid-19 and the associated increases in the cost of living have further exacerbated the problem.

The FAO and the World Health Organization reported that 14 percent of the New Zealand population was food insecure in 2018. With inflation rates and food prices increasing, the situation is getting worse. The New Zealand Government reported in 2021 that one in five children were living in households where food runs out. The cost of nutritious food is exacerbating food insecurity for more families. In March of this year, the cost of meat increased 7.8 percent, and fruit and vegetables increased 22.2 percent, according to Stats NZ. The cost of eggs is rising 63 percent year on year and yoghurt has increased 21.7 percent.

Globally, more than 828 million people were affected by hunger in 2021, a number which is rising as the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic and its shadow, and now rampant inflation, make it increasingly difficult for some of the world’s poorest to afford enough to eat.

Proper management of livestock can play an important role in addressing the world’s food needs. If herds are not properly managed, the loss of food output reduces the supply of food and the complete proteins and micronutrients available to people.

Increasingly we will need to turn to animal health technologies for the health of people, animals, and the environment.

• Animal and Plant Health NZ represents the New Zealand animal health and crop protection industries as well as rural retailers. The industry association promotes the benefits of safe, effective, quality products and services for the health of animals (including pet care) and crops. Its members are committed to the responsible use of products from research to disposal.

The association was formerly called Agcarm.

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