To mark World Food Day AnimalhealthEurope has published a report by Oxford Analytica – Animal health: Towards a more resilient and sustainable future for Europe – providing a quantitatively informed analysis of the benefits of holistic animal health care and associated sustainability-related benefits for the environment, economy and society in Europe.

Featuring three case studies examining selected livestock species in specific countries (pigs in Germany, cattle in the United Kingdom, and poultry in France), the report calculates estimates on the reduction of food production and supply from an additional case of disease, livestock savings from higher vaccination rates, and the impact of animal disease on production efficiency and emissions.

Key findings include:

• Increasing pig vaccination rate for PRRS by 20% would lead to 11% reduction in livestock deaths, which interprets as 65.6 million servings of pork saved, and 21.9 million Kg of feed not wasted.
• Increasing the vaccination rate for HPAI in broilers from a baseline vaccination rate (20%) to 50%, reduces the estimated loss of birds by one third. Reducing this food loss would result in an estimated savings of EUR 16.7 million.

“This report pinpoints some quantitative data behind our mantra, ‘Healthier animals, healthier people, and a healthier planet’, highlighting the central role that animal healthcare plays for a more sustainable future. From protecting animal health and welfare, to reducing emissions from food production, and securing an affordable and sustainable food supply, we believe our work makes a difference, and the numbers confirm that”, commented Roxane Feller, AnimalhealthEurope Director General.

In addition to the report from Oxford Analytica, we published a new brochure –Animal Health: Our Sustainability Focus – which looks at how, as an industry, the animal health sector contributes to sustainability goals. Our industry’s priority focus lies in protecting animal health, but we also ensure that our business, products and services also contribute to the environmental, social, and economic pillars of sustainability. The report highlights examples of actions taken by our member companies to ensure more sustainable livelihoods, both in local communities where they operate and in LMICs, to reduce the sector’s footprint and promote a culture of sustainability, and to support rural economies providing affordable and high-quality food.

Notes:

• AnimalhealthEurope has also produced a Summary with key findings from the full Oxford Analytica report.
• The Our Sustainability Focus report is a follow-up to the report published in 2021: Healthy animals, healthier people and a healthier planet.