Animal Health Update - October 2024

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

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasingly urgent threat – not just to human or animal health but to the sustainability of food systems, food security and economic growth.

This is why the recent UN?Political Declaration?on AMR is so important. As I wrote on?LinkedIn?after attending last week’s High-Level Meeting in New York City, the declaration was supported by more than 140 countries and included important commitments for animal health.

This includes a commitment for all nations to have animal vaccination strategies with an implementation plan by 2030, which can be a game-changer in increasing livestock disease prevention. I applaud nations for supporting?it with calls for investment in animal health systems, veterinary services, and access to innovations, including vaccines, diagnostics and other medicines.

HealthforAnimals was also at the FAO Conference on Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centres and Vaccines in Rome last week, and?I had the chance to present on the value of vaccination?alongside WOAH at the One Health Summit in South Africa.

Across these three events, the enthusiasm for the role of better animal health to tackle the challenges we face -- from AMR to climate -- was encouraging.?This momentum will be critical as we head?into?COP29 in November.?

Latest news

A selection of notable articles from the past few weeks?

AMR in livestock could threaten food security for 2 billion by 2050

Devex

• Summary:?An increase in drug-resistant disease could jeopardise food security for up to two billion people by 2050, highlighting the critical importance of increasing disease prevention to preserve antibiotics effectiveness.
• Why it matters:?Livestock production is expected to grow by 20% by 2050, with much of the increase in emerging markets. Prevention must be the foundation of production systems to avoid AMR development and ensure sustainability.
• Dig deeper:?Read HealthforAnimals’s latest progress report on our Roadmap to Reducing the Need for Antibiotics?here.

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World leaders commit to decisive action on antimicrobial resistance

UN Environment Programme

• Summary:?World leaders approved a declaration at the United Nations General Assembly committing to a clear set of targets and actions to tackle the threat of AMR.
• Why it matters:?This is a significant global commitment by the Quadripartite (UN FAO; UNEP, WHO; and WOAH) to take decisive action, with clear targets and actions, including reducing the estimated 4.95 million AMR-related human deaths by 10% annually to 2030.

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FAO conference aims to tackle threat of animal diseases

FeedStrategy

• Summary:?The FAO Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centers and Vaccines conference brought together political leaders, scientists and global experts to discuss how to integrate existing mechanisms and knowledge with new and improved tools to reduce the global burden of animal disease.
• Why it matters:?Animal diseases, such as peste des petits ruminants (PPR), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and African swine fever (ASF), cost the global economy up to $300 billion a year, while increasing emissions.
• Dig Deeper:?Read how animal health innovation?can reduce?greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production and improve the sustainability of agri-food systems.

Insights and Research

Notable research on animal health, sustainability and more

“One of the most significant challenges we face today is the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance.”

A new report by HealthforAnimals with FAO,?How Prevention Can Reduce?the Need for Antibiotics, illustrates how governments, health professionals, veterinarians and food producers can work together to implement greater disease prevention tools, reducing the need for antimicrobials on farms and transitioning towards healthier and more sustainable agrifood systems. The evidence and solutions presented align with the Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation initiative (RENOFARM), coordinated by FAO, which aims to enrol 100 countries in the 10-year initiative. Key insights from the report include:

• The rise of vaccinations in the Norwegian aquaculture industry in the 1980s/90s enabled a 99.8 percent reduction in antibiotic use compared to 1987 levels.?Aquaculture production grew in turn from 57,000 tons in 1987 to 1.6 million tons in 2022. The framework focuses on parameters such as feed efficiency, mortality rates and the productivity of livestock.
• Better nutrition and internal health can boost animals’ natural immunity, lessening the need for antimicrobials, improving health and food safety.?One U.S. broiler operation, for example, witnessed a nearly 25 percent reduction in processing plant carcass condemnations when shifting to an antibiotic free program.
• Biosecurity measures can be implemented and improved, no matter the sophistication level of a market, to reduce antibiotic need.?This includes basic approaches such as foot washes for livestock, through to more high-tech approaches such as virtual fencing.
• Modern genetic testing in livestock can reduce the risk of bacterial disease and antibiotic need.?For example, a study of U.S. dairy cows helped ‘rank’ cows, identifying those with superior genetics which can improve breeding decisions made by farmers to reduce reliance on antibiotics, methane emissions, and feed required.
• Digital technologies are bolstering disease prevention efforts for animals worldwide.?For instance, a sound monitoring system in swine production to detect the respiratory health status of growing pigs has reduced antibiotic use due to more effective early intervention.
• Non-medically important antimicrobials can be used to treat diseases in animals.?For certain diseases and situations, this approach can help reduce the need for medically important or critically important antimicrobials.

Dig deeper: ?Read the full report – “How prevention can reduce the need for antibiotics”

From the Field

Resources from leaders in animal health and sustainability

Forecasting AMR: Economic Impacts of Antimicrobial Resistance in Food-Producing Animals

World Organisation for Animal Health

• This report presents forecasts of global and regional health burden due to AMR using historical estimates from the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.
• This analysis also quantifies the health gains possible from key interventions, such as developing new antimicrobials that targets resistant bacteria, or improved healthcare for treating severe infections and better access to existing antimicrobials.

Read the?full report.

Something to share

One interesting item to share with your networks

Source:?How?to reduce the need for antibiotics

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Before you go...

Mark these “World Days” and events coming up soon in your calendars!

The?World Food Forum?(October 14-18);?World Food Day?(October 16);?International Day for the Eradication of Poverty?(October 17);?Committee on World Food Security - CFS 52?(October 21-25); Africa Food Security and Nutrition Day (October 30) ;?UN Biodiversity Conference 2024?(October 21- November 1);?UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29)?(November 11-24); COP29 Food, Agriculture and Water Day (November 19); and COP29 Nature and Biodiversity Day (November 21). Check us?out on?Twitter/X,?Facebook?and?LinkedIn?where we'll be celebrating these days and more.