If there is one trend to be happy about, it is that human beings are growing more aware of their fellow inhabitants on earth. Science and compassion are converging on the compelling conclusion that pets and livestock must be kept healthy, both for their own wellbeing and for ours. Whether it is smart monitoring, animal medicine or pet CBD snacks, organizations and entrepreneurs are jumping at the opportunity to give animals the lavish, or at least dignified, lives they deserve.
Why animal health?
Reasons are accumulating for which we are interested in keeping our animals healthy and happy, be they livestock, pets, or otherwise. We are increasingly aware of how similar to us animals are, how rich their inner world is, and that they too deserve the best treatment. Pet owners want to give their pets the best possible life that reflects not only the owner’s love for their pet, but also the owner’s values and lifestyle. When it comes to livestock, we seek to reduce animal suffering, and not just for their benefit: healthy and happy animals yield higher-quality animal produce. But perhaps more pressing is the realization that healthy animals help prevent the spread of diseases, both to other animals and to human beings.
Investing in animal health and welfare is crucial to preventing new pandemics. At least 75% of new infectious diseases in humans originate from animals, meaning they are zoonotic. This includes no other than the COVID-19. Recent incidents of bluetongue and Schmallenberg in animals, as well as the Ebola virus in humans, have shown how progress can be made when knowledge from research institutions and the product development skills of the private sector are combined.
Monitoring with technology
To maintain animal health and prevent disease outbreaks, one important component is monitoring. Detecting outbreaks at their source can prevent further spread and help identify the cause. One means is collecting large amounts of data. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization launched an Event Mobile Application that can collect, analyze and model potential disease outbreaks using daily data from all around the globe. In this manner, smartphone users can help gather information in real time.
Companies are using technology in other ways as well. Researchers are exploring the use of ‘Smart’ ear tags, small devices that continuously broadcast an animal’s location and can warn of impending disease outbreaks based on contact among animals and their behavior. For this sake, Australia-based innovation company CSIRO partnered with agritech company Ceres Tag to develop ear tags that can track and monitor livestock.
Preventive measures
It is not enough to monitor and diagnose – preventive steps are essential to animal health. Developing medicinal products, including vaccines, for animals can not only allow them to live healthier lives, but cut off the potential threat at its root. Global giant Zoetis is known for just that: the firm is the world’s largest producer of medicine and vaccines for pets and livestock. Similarly, French company Ceva Sante Animale manufactures pharmaceuticals for animals: not only vaccines and antibiotics, but also metabolic boosters and other therapeutic drugs, bringing ever closer the way we treat our animals and ourselves.
While we try to control the outcome with vaccines and monitoring, it is no coincidence that disease outbreaks are directly linked to animal welfare. The better their quality of life, the less ill they are and so are we, whether as owners, consumers, or passerby. Especially intriguing is the idea that healthy animals, humans and a healthy environment go hand in hand.
Pets should enjoy open space and a home that takes into account their natural environment and primal needs. When it comes to farming, animals must be provided with access to the outdoors where they can express their natural behaviors, instead of being raised in a confined and purely functional facility. Companies such as Big Picture Beef produce 100 percent grass-fed beef, letting the ruminants eat what they are designed to eat for their entire life. Others have taken it a step further, to include the health and welfare of the land as well: in Virginia, Bean Hollow Grassfed works to bolster biodiversity on the farm. The farm puts their cattle and sheep together to work symbiotically. These two species like to graze on different vegetation and can work together to control diseases and parasites.
Edible measures
The importance of what we feed our animals compels institutions and companies to seek ever healthier and more sustainable forms of nutrition. One such candidate for livestock is the sugarcane bagasse. Typically a by-product of sugarcane, it can be treated and turned into animal feed with many benefits. One company that has taken notice of this plant is Alltech, a firm developing new solutions for livestock and pet food. Not only is it cost-effective, but also highly nutritious and widely available. Queensland University of Technology is even fusing probiotic and enzyme supplements to improve the nutritional value of bagasse.
In comparison, when it comes to our pets, we tend to be far more picky, as we are with our children’s food. Today’s pets indeed share similar lifestyles to their human families, even when it comes to occasions for celebration, toys, and social media appearances. In fact, pet humanization is a huge trend shaping the pet care industry, which is forecasted to reach EUR 180.9 billion by 2025.
A major trend pervading the pet food industry is the imitation of human food, with retailers working to emulate appearance, ingredients, aroma, and even product names. Pet-owners steer clear from bioengineered and GMO foods. They want for their pets the most nutritious ingredients available. Some businesses are making the choice as clear as possible; Dechra, a large animal health company working with both pets and livestock, meticulously lists their ingredients and their source, showing their commitment to pet health as well as environmental sustainability. Other companies such as the prestigious Rockster are even bringing superfoods to the table, or to the floor. The sight of owner and pet indulging side by side on kale, chia, apples, honey and pumpkin filling might soon be all too common. In addition, pet owners, especially those living busy or hectic lives, tend to give their pets snacks, such as ones with functional ingredients including stress-reducing botanicals. For example, Penelope Bloom, a company produces CBD pet snacks in small portions useful for mood-boosting, anxiety and stress.
The fate of humanity is tied together with the fate of our four-legged cohabitants and furry family members. Animal health is therefore of the essence, both for them and for us. It can only be achieved through mutual cooperation of individuals and institutions, and of both the public and the private sectors.