Farm Animals and Climate Change

Farm Animals and Climate Change Dr.Kedar Karkinearly 70% of nitrous oxide worldwide, gases that
Introduction At least a billion of the world's poorestarise mainly from the digestive processes of animals,
people depend on animals for food, fiber, income,and animals' waste. Levels will continue to rise as
social status, security, and companionship. Climateanimal numbers grow to meet the increasing
change is expected to cause an increase indemands for meat and milk from developing
weather-related disasters and extreme weathercountries such as China and India. Agricultural
events, such as droughts, heat waves, storms,emissions of nitrous oxide from manure and the
desertification, and increases in insect infestations.production of artificial fertilisers are projected to
Long-term changes in climate will jeopardize theincrease by 35-60% by 2030 . Some developing
future of all animals—including those in oceans, onregions will have very large increases, including parts
farms, in forests, in wilderness areas, and in ourof East Asia with an increase of 135% from enteric
homes. All climate change related hazards and theirfermentation and 86% for manure management.
related disasters have a negative impact on animals.Deforestation for animal production accounts for
Animal agriculture the raising of animals for food,89.5% of all CO2 livestock related emission and 34%
clothing, and draught power is a major contributor toof CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. The increased
climate change, responsible for 18% of greenhouseproduction of beef in South America and soybean
gas (GHG) emissions (9 % CO2, 37 % methane andproduction for feed transported to Europe is leading
65 % N2O). Climatic changes will have a negativeto deforestation of the rain forest, which has a great
impact on all animals, but particularly livestock whoimpact on the emission of GHG. Soybean production
are associated with certain activities that directlyfor feed also causes losses of biodiversity and
contribute to climate change. It is thereforechemical pollution. Western Europe is the only region
imperative that animal agriculture practices and thewhose emissions are falling and predicted to continue
welfare of animals be considered when developingto decrease by 2020, but that does not include these
climate change policies and programmes, both asareas used for feed production in other parts of the
potential victims and causes. Such policies andworld. With good management, animals genetically
programmes that minimize the impact animalsuited to their environments and raised in low-density
production has on the environment should not be atsystems can play important roles in proper land
the expense of animals and/or their caregiver'smanagement through consuming biomass unsuitable
welfare. The climate debate may lead to a greaterfor human consumption. Grazing animals can
increase in intensive production practices at thecontribute to a rich biodiversity, fertilizing the soil, and
expense of medium and long term environmental andimproving the land's ability to collect and absorb
animal welfare friendly extensive production methods.water. Agricultural and pasture lands can act as
Harming the health and well-being of animals directly"carbon sinks," pulling and storing carbon from the
compromises the societal, economical, physiological,atmosphere. Sustainable land management practices,
and cultural aspects of humans. Effects of Climatesuch as agro forestry, silvo-pastures, and growing
Change on the Spread and Emergence of Animalcover crops, can prevent carbon from being lost. By
Diseases As global temperatures increase, thecontrast, poorly managed, high-density and intensive
effects will be quite complex and vary from region topractices and systems are typically inhumane and
region. Though the extent of these effects isdestructive to the environment. Ensuring adequate
uncertain, it is known that those communities andanimal welfare can also help to reduce GHG emissions
regions with the least resources, such as ruraland ultimately the future sustainability of meat, egg,
agricultural areas , will be the most vulnerable toand milk production. While animal agriculture emits
climate change. Warmer and wetter weathersignificant amounts of CO2 through the production of
(particularly warmer winters) will increase the risk andfertilizers and feed, and the energy required to heat
occurrence of animal diseases, as certain species whoand cool industrial operations and run farm machinery,
serve as disease vectors, such as biting flies andthe farm animal agriculture sector emits enormous
ticks, are more likely to survive year-round. Certainquantities of nitrous oxide and methane emissions
existing parasitic diseases may also become morefrom animal manure, methane emissions from animals'
prevalent, or their geographical range may spread, ifdigestion, and nitrous oxide emissions from the
rainfall increases. This may contribute to an increase inartificial fertilizer used to grow feed crops for animals.
disease spread, including Zoonotic diseases.There is a great deal of research demonstrating how
Transportation of animals for personal, entertainment,changes to agricultural practices might help alleviate
or agricultural purposes also increases the possibilityclimate change; however, comparisons between
for the introduction and subsequent presence ofdifferent farming methods and land use change are
diseases and pests, including ticks and parasites,complex and the findings from different research
previously considered exotic. The viral infectionstudies are often contradictory. Farming methods are
Bluetongue Disease, for example, was once only avaried in their effect on climate change, the
threat in Africa, now affects cattle and sheep in theenvironment, people, and the animals. Industrial pig
whole of Europe. Conditions inherent in industrialand bird production, for example, is a significant
animal agriculture facilities can increase the emergencesource of GHG emissions and is predicted to become
of diseases that affect humans and animals alike.even greater with countries such China and India
Outbreaks of diseases such as Foot & Mouthincreasing production. On the other hand the more
Disease or Avian Influenza affect very large numbersintense the production the less GHG emission per kg
of animals and contribute to further degradation ofof product. There is a lack of research comparing
the environment and surrounding communities' healthorganic or pasture-raised versus conventional or
and livelihood. Effects of Climate Change on Farmindustrial animal agriculture and energy use. Most
Animals and Their Caregivers Animals are intrinsicallystudies to date do not include a complete life cycle
dependent on the environment, and any fluctuationsanalysis of all the "ingredients" that go into animal
in weather and climate can affect them throughagriculture, including land use changes (deforestation
water and land changes, such as desertification, andor the clearing of grasslands or pastures to produce
feed and water availability, access, andcrops for animal feed) and the amount of energy
appropriateness. Climate change will not only impactused to produce and transport fertilizer, antibiotics,
the health and welfare of animals, but also the morefeed, animals, and animal products. While it is difficult
than billion people who depend on them.to compare species, regions, and farming systems
Desertification and climate change are inextricablysome studies indicate that production of cattle,
linked through feedbacks between land degradationfollowed by dairy cows, pigs, and birds is the most
and precipitation: less rain leads to soil compaction anddamaging to the environment when considering such
hardening, making the land unable to absorbfactors as the type of GHG emission, manure and
rainwater. This could have disastrous effects as rainindustrial wastes, water use, production system, feed
becomes less frequent but heavier. The increasedconversion, and land requirements , . However, these
use of chemical-based agricultural inputs, includingstudies do not consider the effect agriculture
artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and theirproduction has on the animal or on the surrounding
impact on soil and water quality will likely exacerbatecommunities. Birds raised for meat and eggs are, just
the effects of climate change by further degradingas other farmed animals including fish, sentient
other ecosystems such as coral reefs and rivers,individuals recognized as such by various
decreasing the land's ability to produce food. It isgovernments. While decreasing beef and increasing
much easier for farmers in developed countries topoultry production could potentially reduce GHG
endure a climatic setback than those in pooreremissions, the acceptability of such policies are limited
nations such as Malawi, where 80% of the populationby decreased welfare of birds in agricultural systems,
lives in rural areas and approximately 40% of theincreased potential for disease outbreaks as well as
economy is supported by rain-fed agriculture. Forpoint source environmental contamination. Industrial
example, as grazing areas dry up in sub-Saharananimal production facilities require significant amounts
Africa, pastoralists will be forced to travel farther toof feed, antibiotics, and water to operate and
find food. Cattle, goats, camels, sheep, and wildlifeproduce huge quantities of manure, with dangerous
dependant on access to grazing areas for food willconcentrations of heavy metals, antibiotics and other
suffer. This will lead to greater conflict betweendrugs, and pathogens, such as E. coli, which can
people and between people and animals.Resourcespollute the soil and water. In contrast, farm animals
must be made available to educate and prepare forreared in more extensive systems, which are less
change if the negative impacts of climate change onwater-reliant and provide for reduced disease
animals suffering is to be minimized. Effects of Farmtransmission, typically use local resources and their
Animal Agriculture on Climate Change Not only aremanure can be efficiently utilized as a source of
the effects of climate change on animal welfarefertilizers, thus avoiding artificial fertilizers. Organic
important, but also the contributions of animalagriculture and small diverse farming has the potential
production to climate change due to the contributionto contribute substantially to global food supply while
to GHGs and energy consumption. Unfortunately,reducing detrimental environmental impacts. But this
many studies and recommendations do not take intohas been done at a cost that has left deep physical,
account multiple causes and effects, thus significantlybiological and social scars that now need the full
restricting the potential outcomes. Livestockattention of the scientific, moral and political
agriculture accounts for 35-40% of methane andauthorities.