Improving the sustainability of global dairy production: IDF Animal Health report 14 released

The International Dairy Federation (IDF) has released the 14th edition of its Animal Health Report, presenting animal health and welfare research from 11 different countries and 3 international organisations.

The 14th edition of the IDF Animal Health Report illustrates the importance of animal health and welfare for sustainable dairy production, providing information and practical insight. It explores the role of animal health and welfare in sustainable development and food security and gives examples of innovative solutions for improvement that take animal health and welfare and livelihoods into account.

 

Facilitating knowledge share in sustainable dairy production

There is no doubt that animal health and welfare is an intrinsic part of sustainable development, impacting people’s livelihoods worldwide. Good animal care practices are essential to all types of production systems, regardless of scale, farm size or species, to ensure safe and quality milk.

The report’s principal aim is to facilitate animal health knowledge exchange; to promote, and develop best practices within the dairy sector, and share practical examples and evidence of how animal welfare contributes to sustainable animal management and production. It gives examples of how healthy animals are important for combating climate change, for healthy ecosystems and for optimizing production.

IDF Director General Caroline Emond:

“IDF is committed to the coordination, sharing of knowledge and development of partnerships to improve the sustainability of dairy production worldwide. This latest report showcases many examples of how the dairy sector promotes good animal welfare practices in dairy production at global scale, and the positive impact of these on sustainability. We hope that it serves to further inspire continuous improvement in our sector.”

Case studies in the report include enriching the environment of weaned dairy calves to produce healthier adult animals (Chile and US), how the QM-Dairy Sustainability Tool is helping dairy farms improve their overall sustainability, including animal welfare (Germany), and how solutions to reduce heat stress has improved animal welfare in China.

The issue is completed with information on the OIE annual data collection on antimicrobial agents intended for use in animals, a global livestock initiative which includes responses from 153 countries. It offers an opportunity for those involved in the field to share findings of innovative research and provide an update on progress achieved and lessons learned.

The IDF Animal Health Report Issue 14 is free to download from the IDF website from today.