Sick critters increase greenhouse gas emissions. Vaccination and better management increase production outcomes and ease burdens on the environment, according to a study, published in One Health Outlook. Researchers analyzed emissions caused by some of the most damaging, but preventable, livestock diseases around the world, including foot and mouth disease and PRRS.
. . . every 100,000 sows spared from PRRS prevents more than 420,000 tonnes* of CO2e emissions, meaning that limiting the spread of PRRS in the most vulnerable pig populations would reduce emissions per unit of pork by 22.5 percent . . . controlling high pathogenicity avian influenza in high prevalence areas would reduce emissions by almost 16 percent.”
Source: Feedstuffs, December 8, 2023. Link.
INSIGHTS: *Tonnes versus tons. A tonne is a metric measure of mass equal to 2,204.6 pounds compared to an Imperial ton, or 2000 pounds.