Animal Health Update - June 2024

A global look at what is driving animal health, sustainability, and more.

COP28 was a critical milestone in working towards lowering global emissions, particularly in agrifood systems. FAO’s first?roadmap?for agrifood transformation highlighted the connection between human, animal and planetary health, while the ‘Pathways towards lower emissions’?report?showed the role of livestock health in climate.

As delegates convene in Germany for the?Bonn Climate Change Conference, it is another opportunity?to champion?healthy animals as a way to benefit both people and planet.

By committing to meaningful action now, we can actively contribute to more favorable climate outcomes for people, animals and the environment.

Latest news

A selection of notable articles from the past few weeks?

Cow Methane Emission Reduction Strategies Expanding

Brownfield

• Summary: Frank Mitloehner, an air-quality specialist and professor at the University of California-Davis, anticipates that strategies to reduce cattle methane emissions, including feed additives, will greatly expand over the next five years.
• Why it matters: Lower methane-producing animals can contribute to reduced greenhouse emissions from the?livestock sector.
• Dig Deeper: A 2022?FAO publication?explored different livestock methane mitigation strategies including improved health, breeding, feed efficiency, and more.

Why it's so challenging to develop vaccines for parasitic diseases

BBC

• Summary: Scientists are steadily advancing efforts to develop vaccines that target parasites. This includes worms in livestock and parasitic diseases like malaria in people.
• Why it matters: Success would deliver enormous benefits in public health, livestock productivity, etc.

Environmental Changes Are Fueling Human, Animal and Plant Diseases

The New York Times

• Summary: A study has found that five large-scale, human-driven changes to the planet, which include climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the spread of invasive species, are making infectious diseases more dangerous to people, animals and plants.
• Why it matters: Identifying global drivers of disease is critical to improving disease management and surveillance efforts.
• Dig deeper: Read the full publication, “A meta-analysis on global change drivers and the risk of infectious disease”.

Feed ingredient that reduces methane from dairy cows is approved for U.S. sale

Successful Farming

• Summary: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new feed ingredient for methane emission reduction.
• Why it matters: Methane, a short-lived but potent gas, accounts for 40% of agricultural emissions in the US. Offering new technologies to address methane emissions will be critical to meeting commitments such as the Global Methane Pledge.
• Dig Deeper: HealthforAnimals recently?published a deep-dive?on methane-mitigating feed additives in the International Animal Health Journal.

Insights and Research

Notable research on animal health, sustainability and more

"Knowledge and?skills are not enough. Veterinarians must have access to essential medicines."

The World Veterinary Association (WVA) and The Brooke?teamed up to create the world’s first ever?list of essential veterinary medicines?for food producing animals:

• The work builds off past research by these groups?that found?in a country like Ethiopia?100% of practitioners did not have access to pain relieving medicines for animals, and 40% lacked basic supplies like syringes.
• The list encompasses?core?medicines and vaccines, selected for their relevance, efficacy and cost effectiveness that should be available in every country to every veterinarian.
• Without these medicines, it is difficult for veterinarians "to?fulfil their professional oath to protect and save animals from pain and disease, it also puts human health at risk."

The list can be used as a blueprint?for the creation of new national?lists and for the revision of existing ones.?Access the full?Essential Medicines List on the WVA website?or dig deeper with?insights from?Dr Shereene Williams?at Brooke.

From the Archives

Resources from leaders in animal health and sustainability

Achieving SDG 2 Without Breaching the 1.5 °C Threshold: A Global Roadmap - Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) At COP28, FAO launched a roadmap for agrifood systems transformation through accelerated climate action. Among the domains identified for action was the livestock sector, where the Roadmap called for:

• Improving productivity through genetics?
• Protecting animal health and improving veterinary services
• Improving feeding practices and more.

FAO also released a global assessment of the GHG emissions and mitigation options from livestock agrifood systems titled, “Pathways Towards Lower Emissions”, which identified improved livestock health as a core strategy for reducing the emissions of livestock production.

Read the roadmap

Something to share

One interesting item to share with your networks

Source:?How Improved Livestock Health Can Reduce GHG Emissions

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Before you go...

Mark these “World Days” and events coming up soon in your calendars!?World Zoonoses Day?on July 6th and the?UN's High-Level Political Forum?from July 8th to 17th. Check us out on?Twitter/X,?Facebook?and?LinkedIn?where we'll be celebrating these days and more.

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