Today, dairy cattle farming is pressured on two fronts: a public viewpoint that suggests the sector is a climate change culprit for its high methane emissions, and the unexpected spread of bird flu among cows, at least in the United States.

 

The latter is a valid concern for farmers - "Dairy farms facing an outbreak will have economic losses from caring for sick animals and the temporary reduction in milk sales," according to Noelia Silva Del Rio of the University of California, Davis (pages 4-5). Milk, otherwise, remains safe to drink in the US, as long as raw milk is avoided.

 

As for climate change, solutions have been explored in the past years, centered on using seaweeds to mitigate the climatic impact of dairy farming. These could help lower carbon emissions from livestock farming in the coming years, but for now, environmental temperatures are still anticipated to rise "by another 1.5 °C between 2030 and 2052," writes Dr. Anja Pastor of Phytobiotics (pages 8-9). Such conditions can induce heat stress leading to potential economic losses due to "reduced milk yield and fat, lower pregnancy rates, increased lameness, and diseases". Isoquinoline alkaloids - found in Phytobiotics' Sangrovit feed additives - offer a way to boost the resilience of cows to hotter ambient temperatures.

 

With substantial attention allocated to climate change and bird flu, it's of fundamental importance to refocus on the health and performance of these animals under these circumstances. The developments bear troubling consequences for dairy herds - but they can better reared to endure the challenges.

 

The full article is published on the September 2024 issue of LIVESTOCK & FEED Business. To read the full report, please email to inquiry@efeedlink.com to request for a complimentary copy of the magazine, indicating your name, mailing address and title of the report.