Steps to sustainable livestock.

What is it about?

Agricultural land and food security are under pressure from climate change, population growth, urbanisation, and demand for biofuels and animal protein. We have re-assessed the role of ruminant livestock in meeting food requirements in the context of mixed agricultural systems, and focussed on seven major challenges: • Poor animal health and welfare. • Consumption of human food by livestock. • Environmental footprint. • Livestock species and genotypes adapted to the local environment. • Focus on healthy food. • Feed the animals correctly. • Livestock husbandry and management. These issues are intended to guide research, and stimulate discussion and international collaboration. The challenges are multidisciplinary, so solutions can only be identified and demonstrated in real-world production systems. We propose the establishment of a network of ‘farm platforms', across different climatic and eco-regions, such as the University of Western Australia Future Farm, Thiruvazhankunnu Livestock Research Station, and the Rothamsted Research North Wyke Farm Platform.

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Why is it important?

The need for efficient food production has never been greater. One in seven humans is undernourished. Urbanization and biofuel production are reducing land availability, and climate change, lack of water and soil degradation are decreasing harvests. Over the past decade, cereal yields per hectare have fallen in one-quarter of countries. Meanwhile, developing nations and the growing world population are demanding more animal protein. The increasing consumption of animal protein is generally considered at odds with Earth’s ability to feed its people. The 1 billion tonnes of wheat, barley, oats, rye, maize (corn), sorghum and millet poured annually into livestock troughs could feed some 3.5 billion humans. But such reasoning discounts the health benefits of eating modest amounts of meat and the fact that foraging animals can consume foods that humans cannot eat.

Perspectives