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The role of livestock in sustainable food systems and sustainable diets is a complex issue. It should be assessed in terms of its impacts on environmental, economic, and social sustainability, as well as the levels of animal performance, the human food supply, and the human food production system. However, such nuanced analyses are made difficult by the lack of multi-metric, multi-domain modelling frameworks and a lack of data on regional variation in livestock production. This paper proposes a conceptual biophysical modelling framework that could be used as a pathway to address existing methodology gaps and improve sustainability analyses across multiple levels. Realising this modelling framework requires clear, transparent, and enforceable frameworks for multi-scale sustainability assessments, as well as long-term investment into region-specific data collection, particularly from under-represented regions. To ensure representativeness and broader utility, this framework must also be able to model variation in both production systems and consumer dietary patterns, and the feedback loops between producer/consumer decisions and on-farm production. Beyond the level of science, this will also require concerted effort by the various actors in the livestock and food-chain sectors such as governmental bodies, the food production industry and local communities. Once realised, this framework could be used to assess trade-offs between potential food-system changes and to ensure that decisions are being made from a big picture, net-benefit perspective, while exploring methods for building flexible, diverse food systems that are sustainable across multiple scales. For sustainable agriculture to be truly sustainable, it must be sustainable across the domains of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. However, most sustainability assessments focus primarily on environmental impacts, and many current tools and models can model only one or two of these domains, making nuanced, big-picture assessment difficult. This review proposes a holistic modelling framework for nuanced, multi-metric sustainability of livestock systems, while highlighting challenges that must be addressed to realise and implement this framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is clear that the societal role of meat is being challenged with ideological and simplified logic without substantiation from robust data-driven science. With this background, the international summit titled 'The societal role of meat – what the science says' was held in Dublin, Ireland, during October 2022, to provide evidence-based evaluations and the Dublin Declaration was signed by over 1000 scientists. In this paper, we provide a synopsis of the summit and then give context for evaluating the societal role of meat in Australia. The key themes of the summit were the essential roles of meat in (1) diet and health, (2) a sustainable environment and (3) society, economics and culture. Evidence clearly showed the role of meat as a nutrient-dense source of high-quality protein and micronutrients that can be safely consumed by humans. Further, the complementary role of livestock in agricultural systems was highlighted with both plant- and animal-based agriculture reliant on each other to maximise the efficient production of food. Thus, from both an Australian and world perspective, very little food considered to be human-edible is fed to livestock. The role of livestock in rural societies across the world was emphasised to underpin regional and national economies, with particular importance in those countries with developing economies to facilitate growing wealth to 'step out' of poverty and provide gender equality. Meat production, particularly from ruminants, is a critical part of Australian primary production and it is concluded that the Dublin Declaration is highly relevant to Australia. Finally, concern regarding future funding and organisation of research and extension is discussed. There is a need to continue funding highly collaborative programs that bring a broad range of disciplines together, in conjunction with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching to underpin the social license to operate for meat and livestock production. The societal role of meat is being challenged with ideological and simplified logic without substantiation from robust data driven science. The international summit titled 'The societal role of meat – what the science says' was held to provide evidence-based evaluations and the Dublin Declaration. A synopsis of the summit is described and the societal role of meat in Australia is evaluated under the themes of meat for (1) diet and health, (2) a sustainable environment and (3) society, economics and culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of sequencing technology brought about a surge of new methodologies that offered a new and deeper level of understanding of the role of the microbiome in the health and performance of livestock. This started a chain reaction in technology evolution, and a decade later, we have developed a new appreciation of a healthy gut and the role of early colonisation and nutrition in developing the microbiome, and its subsequent impact on animal productivity. An abundance of new products flooded the livestock supplement market with the promise of improving the health of intestinal microbiota. However, the impact of these products and any potential gains they might provide have not always been quantified or validated. Further to this, the potential interactions with the microbial community naturally occurring in the feed-base have not commonly been considered. We have recently shown that animal feed carries a complex microbial community that can have various impacts, including negating farm biosecurity measures. The ruminant animal provides an even greater level of complexity where physiological drivers act to maintain ruminal homeostasis. Despite many advances, numerous knowledge gaps remain, and the methodologies are not without their challenges with almost constant evolution in analysing and interpreting data. In this paper, we will discuss the benefits, challenges and shortfalls of microbiome science, its interfaces with multi-omics research and the strategies of its contribution to animal production science. With advances in sequencing technology, research of microbial communities has become more accessible and affordable. In livestock research, the roles of microbiota are associated with animal performance and welfare. Although universally accepted, amplicon-sequencing methodology has several issues that need to be considered in data interpretation. Here we review the main shortfalls, benefits and uses of the methodology in livestock research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asia's human population is expected to rise by 100 million between 2023 and 2050, with an associated rise in animal-product output in the region's low- to middle-income countries. Countries with the largest population are forecast to continue their increasing poultry consumption, with regional pig meat consumption also to rise, but much less than in China to the north, and much less in Muslim-dominant countries. The forecast growth in the regional ruminant population is more modest and the farm-gate greenhouse gas (GHG) cost per unit of human food protein generated is much higher for ruminant meat (203–584 kg carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e)/kg protein) than for pig meat (18 kg/kg) or poultry (4 kg/kg). Changing human diets away from ruminant or any animal-sourced protein, is being explored to increase the human food supply at a lower GHG cost. However, with small-holder livestock production systems dominant across many regional countries, the social, land-use and broader economic roles of ruminants need consideration. Strategies to expand ruminant production but with a reduced GHG unit cost (emission intensity) are being pursued. Increasing individual animal-product output, largely through simple animal health and nutritional management decisions, can allow future food targets to be met at a lower GHG emission than if this additional food was produced by business-as-usual livestock production systems. Because the Paris Agreement recognises the priority of food provision over emission abatement, it seems reasonable that much of Southeast Asia should pursue emission intensity targets more than absolute emission targets, and reflect this in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Emission-intensity intentions are already apparent not just in NDCs but in emerging carbon markets. Southeast Asia's forecast rise in human population and demand for animal-sourced food is likely to increase absolute greenhouse-gas emissions from the region's livestock sector. There are substantial animal and feed management opportunities to suppress the increase in these emissions by improving animal productivity. Targeting a regional reduction in emissions per unit animal product (emission intensity) instead of absolute emissions offers a means to support food security, while controlling emission of livestock derived greenhouse gases. This article belongs to the collection: SAADC 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The livestock sector is undergoing rapid changes, and governments are designing sector development plans to account for this transition. However, the fundamental assumptions behind the medium- to long-term growth strategies of the sector should be looked at from the perspective of the dynamics in the domestic and global economy, and uncertainties around the driving forces of the transition. Aims: This study used the case of Ethiopia to provide a scenario-based analysis of alternative national development trajectories, focusing on the prospects of growth performance, urbanisation, and their potential implications on the cattle system within the country. Methods: We employed a newly developed linked economic and animal systems (LEAS) model where the livestock, economy-wide, and microsimulation subsystems are linked either way through flows of information. Key results: Our findings suggested that demand for animal-source food (ASF) is highly dependent on economic-demographic changes and that income growth is the primary driver of overall livestock-system expansion. Additionally, urbanisation shifts the outputs of the livestock systems towards processed ASF products. Conclusion: The analysis showed that livestock development plans should reflect the economic reality and potential risks facing the economic system. Herd offtake and livestock sector output vary considerably with assumptions about future growth and urbanisation trajectories. Implications: In addition to relevant findings about the implications of the interplays between the economic and demographic variables, the study generated insights into the role of integrating economy-wide and livestock-system models to provide a risk-based approach to the prospects of the livestock sector. Livestock sector growth assumptions should be looked at from the perspective of the dynamics in the domestic and global economy, and uncertainties around the driving forces of the transition. This study used the case of Ethiopia to provide an analysis of alternative national development trajectories relating to the prospects of growth performance and urbanisation. It generates insights into the importance of integrating economy-wide and livestock-system models to provide a risk-based approach to the prospects of the livestock sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global demand for protein in the form of red meat is growing, especially in Southeast Asia, with income and population growth driving an increase in global beef consumption projected to continue from 2023 to 2032. This provides incentive for smallholder large-ruminant producers to build on production improvements obtained over the past decade to ensure long-term profitability and sustainability. This review aims to provide an update on advances in smallholder large-ruminant production and profitability in Southeast Asia over the past decade, as well as highlight ongoing challenges that require further investment from governments and the private sector to meet the growing regional and global demand for protein that is safe for human consumption. Improvements are discussed in detail across the areas of health, production and welfare, using outputs from research for development projects across Southeast Asia, specifically Cambodia and Laos which have high proportions of population living below the national poverty line. Areas covered include nutrition, disease control, diversification and farmer engagement. Ongoing challenges and opportunities are also considered. Key improvements in smallholder large-ruminant production, health and welfare in Southeast Asia over the past decade include the introduction of strategies to improve nutrition through forage utilisation and disease control through vaccination and biosecurity as well as farmer engagement and diversification. However, major challenges continue in the areas of disease control and eradication, training, climate variability, gender empowerment and policy. Increasing global demand for red meat places smallholder large-ruminant producers throughout Cambodia and Laos in an ideal position to capitalise. To do this and gain improved regional food security requires ongoing investment in stakeholder training and adoption of appropriate strategies to ensure greater productivity from existing numbers and resisting increasing numbers in an environment with limited resources. Although the challenges for large-ruminant smallholders are substantial, the rewards for continual investment to improve health and production include increased household incomes and profitability as well as greater regional food security. Global demand for protein in the form of red meat is growing, especially in Southeast Asia, with income and population growth driving an increase in beef consumption. To meet this demand advances in smallholder large-ruminant production and profitability have been achieved. However, to achieve regional food security ongoing challenges and opportunities need to be addressed. This article belongs to the Collection Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Goats are the fastest increasing livestock population on earth, growing by 29% in the past decade. In Vietnam, goat numbers grew remarkably faster at 103% in the same period. To understand the reasons for this rapid growth and implications, we explored the characteristics of Vietnamese goat supply and demand and identified risks and opportunities for smallholder goat producers. Our analysis finds that the continued growth of goat consumption in Vietnam is driven by Vietnam's: (1) large and growing population (97.3 million) and economy; (2) high meat consumption relative to Gross Domestic Product; (3) high social value placed on goat consumption; (4) increasing popularity of meat consumption; (5) established socio-cultural goat consumption practices; (6) increasing preference for grass-fed meat; and (7) increasing supply from neighbouring countries. As a result, growth in Vietnamese goat meat prices has continually outperformed growth in goat supply over the past decade. Supply is mainly produced by thousands of smallholder farmers in Vietnam and neighbouring Laos. Hence, there are important livelihood and rural development opportunities for producers to increase and diversify into goats. In Laos, each additional goat sold represents a 4.75% increase in smallholder household income per year. To reduce risks to goat producers, research is needed to: (1) forecast the current and future demand for goats in Vietnam to prevent oversupply leading to price collapse; (2) understand how premiums are awarded for goat characteristics; (3) investigate pathways for formalising trade and its impacts on smallholders; and (4) establish strategies for producers to improve supply without degrading natural resources, or increase disease outbreak risk. Goats are a resilient animal that can thrive in areas where cattle and sheep can't, making them an ideal species for rural communities. Our analysis of goats in Vietnam found that there are cultural and economic drivers that promise continued growth in demand, creating plentiful opportunity for rural communities to continue developing goat production to improve their living standards. These trends justify increased action on marketing, biosecurity and environmental impacts, to ensure the sustainability of goat production. This article belongs to the Collection Sustainable Animal Agriculture for Developing Countries 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proximity of rail corridors to livestock production enterprises poses potential risks to welfare and production. The association between these factors and production have been extensively investigated. This review aims to assess the potential impact on the basis of existing data in a livestock production context. Due to expansion of freight rail networks through agricultural land, there is a need to investigate potential impacts of rail (including train and track) noise, vibration and visual disturbance on the physiology and behaviour of the livestock and subsequent production traits. Additionally, the factors influencing the impact on animals were characterised broadly as noise, vibration, and visual and spatial disturbance. This information was used to develop conceptual frameworks around the contribution of rail impact on allostatic load, animal welfare and production. Placing rail noise in the context of other, known, noise impacts showed that proximity to the rail line will determine the impact of noise on the behaviour and physiology of the animal. Thresholds for noise levels should be determined on the basis of known noise thresholds, taking into account the impact of noise on allostatic load. Further research is recommended to investigate the behavioural, physiological and production impacts on livestock from proximity to rail corridors. Current literature suggests that the allostatic load will vary depending on the proximity of the animal to the source of stimulus, the type, size or level of stimuli, habituation and the individual animal variation in response to the stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Intensive livestock production is challenged by frequent occurrence of contagious livestock diseases. Advanced diagnostic tools, such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), have been found to improve the precision and speed of veterinary diagnostics. Aims. This study develops and applies an analytical quantitative framework to investigate the potential farm economic benefits of introducing an advanced and rapid diagnostic tool that allows veterinarians accurately and fast to detect the load and composition of pathogens in production animals, compared with a scenario where decision-making is based on aggregate prevalence data. Methods. A probabilistic budget simulation model for livestock production was developed, on the basis of farm-accounts data, epidemiological prevalence, mortality and morbidity data from official statistics, veterinary practice and literature findings, as well as experimental data regarding sensitivity and specificity of the specific diagnostic tool. Key results. The framework was used to assessthe expected economic gains of qPCR diagnostics for calf pneumonia and weaner pig diarrhoea. In both cases, positive economic gains were found, namely, 7.8%and 3.1%of gross margin in Danish calf production and weaner production respectively. Conclusions and Implications. Use of rapid advanced diagnostic tools to diagnose calf pneumonia or weaner pig diarrhoea can lead to economic gains for farmers and improve the efficiency in use of resources in livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affective states of animals comprise a key aspect of welfare that can be difficult to assess. An attention-bias test was developed for sheep, which assessed allocation of attention between a predator threat and a food reward, as a potential measure of affective state. The method was pharmacologically validated as a measure of anxiety-like states, finding that 'anxious' sheep were more vigilant, less likely to feed and spent more time looking towards the previous location of a dog than did 'calm' sheep. Across six further validation studies, the method was modified and explored as a measure of other types of affective states. This perspective article aims to provide guidance on what the method can tell us about affective state and make recommendations for further research by using this approach. Evidence was strongest across the studies for the test as a measure of anxiety-like states, but it is clear that there are other factors affecting animal behaviour during testing that need to be further investigated. One study showed potential for a modified method to assess depression-like states in sheep, while the impact of chronic stress on affect and attention bias remains unclear. It is likely that the test cannot be used to measure positive affect in sheep without further modification, due to the fear-eliciting nature of the test. Versions of the method using food as a positive stimulus allow for a clearer interpretation of attention than do versions using a conspecific photograph, and are recommended for use in future studies where appetite is not expected to be a confounding factor. In this context, vigilance behaviour may indicate trait anxiety or fearfulness, while other measures of attention may be more sensitive to transient changes in affect. Modifications to the method are suggested to allow for a clearer characterisation of attention in livestock species and to improve the practical application of the test. Overall, the attention-bias test shows promise as a measure of negative affective states, but the method is still very new and further research is needed to better determine its potential use as a welfare-assessment tool. Tools that consider the emotional states of livestock are needed for comprehensive welfare assessment. We examined a relatively new method called the attention-bias test, finding that it may provide a practical measure of negative emotional states and trait fearfulness in sheep and other livestock species. The attention-bias test can potentially be used in further research to better understand how management practices and environments affect livestock welfare, with an ultimate aim to improve welfare outcomes on-farm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reductionist approaches to food focus on isolated nutritional criteria, ignoring the broader physiological and societal benefits and trade-offs involved. They can lead to the inadvertent or, potentially, intentional labelling of foods as good or bad. Both can be considered worrisome. Among our present-day array of issues is the disproportionate stigmatisation of animal-source foods as harmful for human and planetary health. The case for a protein transition reinforces this trend, overemphasising one particular nutritional constituent (even if an important one). In its strongest formulation, animal-source foods (reduced to the notion of 'animal protein') are represented as an intrinsically harmful food category that needs to be minimised, thereby falsely assuming that 'proteins' are nutritionally interchangeable. We caution against using the word 'protein' in food policy-making to describe a heterogenous set of foods. Rather, we suggest referring to said foods as 'protein-rich foods', while acknowledging the expanded pool of non-protein nutrients that they provide and their unique capabilities to support a much broader range of bodily functions. Several essential or otherwise beneficial nutrients are generally more bioavailable in animal-source foods than in plant-source foods. A similar complementarity exists in reverse. Nutritional and environmental metrics should be carefully interpreted, as considerable contextuality is involved. This needs to be undertaken, for instance, with respect to the biochemistry of food and in light of individual and genetically inherited human physiology. Also, the assessments of the environmental impact need a fine-grained approach, especially when examining a product at the system scale. Harms and benefits are multiple, multi-dimensional, and difficult to measure on the basis of the narrow sets of descriptive metrics that are often used (e.g. CO2-eq/kg). A more appropriate way forward would consist of combining and integrating the best of animal and plant solutions to reconnect with wholesome and nourishing diets that are rooted in undervalued benefits such as conviviality and shared traditions, thus steering away from a nutrient-centric dogma. Humans do not consume isolated nutrients, they consume foods, and they do so as part of culturally complex dietary patterns that, despite their complexity, need to be carefully considered in food policy making. Excessive projection of dietary challenges on the notion of a 'protein transition' is counterproductive. It suggests a need to move away from animal-source foods toward plants in an undifferentiated manner and leads to a reductionist view on diets, which offer more than single nutrients. It also creates an unhelpful binary contrast between foods from animal and plant origin, often with moral overtones. A more integrated and contextual evaluation of the benefits and harms of animal agriculture is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Circular economy principles are being adopted to design out waste, use resources more efficiently and maintain ecosystem health. Aims: This study developed a framework to assess the 'circularity' of pastoral farms, using a New Zealand dairy farm as a case study. Methods: Key resource inputs and environmental impacts to assess for the farming system were determined. Nitrogen and phosphorus flows were assessed using the OVERSEER® model, to then determine their circularity on the basis of the material circularity indicator. Life-cycle assessment was used to determine the carbon footprint and fossil fuel depletion associated with the farm. Single-use plastic disposal was calculated on the basis of farm purchases and end-points of packaging. Key results: MCI circularity scores were 0.46 for nitrogen, 0.48 for phosphorus and total circularity 0.46, which could be improved by focusing on reducing the high rates of mineral fertiliser use and large losses of nitrogen to water and the atmosphere. Although the farm's cradle-to-farm-gate fossil fuel resource depletion footprint (1.16 MJ/kg fat- and protein-corrected milk) was low compared with other New Zealand and European dairy farms, its carbon footprint of 0.85 kg carbon dioxide-equivalent/kg fat and protein corrected milk was high for New Zealand, with enteric methane emissions and inputs of supplementary feeds being the major sources. Plastic waste was a minor source of waste compared with nutrients, but the key sources were identified. Conclusions and implications: This framework could be used and adapted to assess the circularity of nutrients in pastoral farming systems and help identify key areas to reduce the depletion of critical resources and negative environmental impacts. Further development and testing are required for a range of farming systems. Circular economy principles are being adopted to design out waste, use resources more efficiently and maintain ecosystem health. A framework was developed to assess the degree that individual pastoral farms adhere to these principles and that was adaptable to a range of farming systems. Further development and testing of this framework will provide a tool to benchmark farms and identify areas where they could improve sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]