As one who spent many years in the meat production industry, Aristov Aleksandr, now an agribusiness expert, knows a thing or two about the successes and failures involved in livestock farming.
The big debate that’s been going on in recent years is the degree to which the livestock sector has affected global warming, but by way of counterbalance, there’s been much investment made in technology to prevent this, mainly through keeping optimal conditions for the well-being of the animals.
Back as far as 2006 Henning Steinfeld, head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s livestock policy branch, had been working for months on a report analysing the link between the six major species of livestock and climate change, which they all knew could be explosive (as reported in The Guardian newspaper).
Climate Change Conference
Now, with COP28, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai still underway this month, the subject is very much on the agenda. However, it has been overshadowed by the more pressing and controversial topic of decreasing fossil fuels, and at the time of going to press, there has been little discussion on the subject. Nevertheless, the topic remains significant.
To mitigate the effects of growing and raising food, farmers use computer-controlled technologies such as cooling panels for animals and specialized pedometers. These devices can predict heat stress in animals by measuring vital signs that reflect their health. It is worth noting that the industry is implementing strict quality control systems, which are crucial for successful operations and preventing a recurrence of the destructive consequences experienced during the swine flu outbreak that led to the suspension of pork imports in 2012.
Gap between poor and affluent nations
Today, it’s global warming and the gap between poor and affluent nations that affect meat production worldwide. Hence, reducing animal heat stress on an overheating planet is of great concern among farmers. One innovative solution involves the use of cooling pads – tread plates placed atop copper pipes that circulate water. Sensors continuously monitor the animal’s temperature, triggering the circulation of new water to maintain both the pad and the animal at an optimal cool temperature.
Of course, let’s not forget the jumbo-sized fans, weather forecast apps, air conditioning, and bottles with nozzles spraying a mist of water, helping agriculturists reduce the temperatures in the barns. Given that poorly managed ranches with suffering animals can amount to billions of dollars in lost income, defying global warming without technology is unthinkable these days. While the developed world can afford the huge costs of technology, shielding livestock in wealthy countries, poorer nations cannot. That widens the gap between nations that are well off and those that aren’t.
Agribusiness experts are well aware that it costs a lot. “Let’s not forget that fans and misters are hugely expensive,” says Dr Michelle Schack, an Arizona-based dairy vet. “Not just to install but also the amount of electricity they take is insane.”
Making global warming even worse for undeveloped countries is that beating the heat in tropical climates results in higher prices and, thus, tremendous stress for cattle. According to a recent Lancet Planetary Health study, losses in revenue due to cattle heat will be much more significant in tropical regions compared to those with a mild climate.
Aristov Aleksandr – industrial farms are efficient
Yet, for all the climate impacts in tropical parts of the world, many experts advocate using high-tech to produce meat. Says Aristov Aleksandr: “Embracing technology in agriculture is not just a choice; it’s the cornerstone of efficiency in modern industrial farming. High-tech solutions empower us to produce meat more sustainably, ensuring not only efficiency in operations but also responsible stewardship of resources for a thriving future.”
Mario Herrero, professor of food systems and global change at Cornell University, is convinced that technology is the way forward. “These innovations bring me a lot of hope,” he said, but that it was a matter of how they’re deployed.
For example, the McAllister family, who have been farming for five generations in Iowa, use cooling fans to keep their livestock cool. Last winter, they installed fans above the cows’ beds. “Our cows are showing signs of improved welfare, like chewing more cud.” The family said they wanted to make suitable investments to help their cows health-wise and improve their dairy businesses by considering sustainability. It seems to be working.
Solar power cheap alternative
While more fans have their price, livestock producers can address high electricity costs by integrating cheaper solar power into farming projects. Either way, adopting heat mitigation strategies is going to be challenging for farmers. Disseminating the right information to the right people – namely the farmers – also helps livestock ward off the heat. HotHog is a new app that uses local weather data to help farmers predict weather unfavorable for their livestock and a meteorologist named Chip Redmond of Kansas State University, has developed a seven-day animal comfort forecast tool. It’s designed to help beef farmers factor in temperature, wind, and humidity.
Outcome of COP28
As for COP28, well, a third of the world’s food production is at risk from the climate crisis – but at the same time our food systems are one of the key contributors to climate breakdown. Greenhouse gas emissions from farming and the land use change that often accompanies it, such as clearing forests and drying out wetlands to make room for crops and livestock, amount to more than a fifth of global carbon output, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
At COP28, for the first time, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will outline how food systems must change for the world to stay within the globally agreed goal of limiting temperature rises to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, beyond which the impacts of the climate crisis on food systems will rapidly become catastrophic, and in some cases potentially irreversible.
