What are the consequences for farm animal welfare of changes in climate, and potential changes in legislation, and how can we respond?
Background
Question Group: Working with nature to improve plant, animal and soil health, enhancing agricultural practices, and promoting resilient food systems. It also encompasses innovation in disease control, climate adaptation for crops and stock, strengthening food safety and sustainable farming to reduce environmental pollution and boost productivity.
Sub-questions: - How do we ensure that high standards of animal welfare remain central to a holistic approach to sustainable livestock systems, while reducing the environmental impacts of farming systems and adapting to the changing climate?
- How do we best manage intensive and extensive systems to manage tensions and trade-offs between production efficiency, welfare, biodiversity, etc.?
- How do we maintain and improve levels of animal welfare and productivity while phasing out current management practices and husbandry systems in compliance with potential legislative changes? (For example, laying hen housing and farrowing pig management).
- Does the use of methane suppressing feed products (MSFPs) in the feed of cattle (dairy and beef) and sheep over long time periods have implications for the health, welfare and/or productivity of the animals?
- Are there health, welfare and/or productivity implications from other novel methane reduction technologies?
Next steps
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Source
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
Environment natural resources agriculture research strategy 2027 2032
Topics
Research fields
Related UKRI funded projects
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Optimisation of data gathering capability of ZELP technology
**Our Company** ZELP has patented a wearable device for cattle that neutralizes livestock's emissions, which are responsible for ~15% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause global warming. This innovativ...
Funded by: Innovate UK
Lead research organisation: ZELP LTD
Why might this be relevant?
The project focuses on reducing methane emissions from cattle, addressing climate change, and improving animal welfare and farm productivity.
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Breeding Low Methane Sheep
Our aim is to breed sheep with a naturally low carbon footprint to help English sheep farmers make a positive contribution to the journey towards Net Zero for UK agriculture. We are an alliance of forward-thinking sheep...
Funded by: ISCF
Lead research organisation: INNOVIS LIMITED
Why might this be relevant?
The project aims to breed low methane sheep to reduce carbon footprint and improve sustainability in sheep farming.
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RCUK-CIAT Newton Fund - Towards climate-smart forage-based diets for Colombian livestock
This project will investigate the use of tropical grasses and legumes for feeding to ruminant livestock in Colombia, to improve productivity and reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming by helping to develop ...
Funded by: UKRI
Lead research organisation: Aberystwyth University
Why might this be relevant?
The project focuses on developing forage-based diets for Colombian livestock to reduce environmental impact and improve productivity, aligning with the question's objectives.