Busin, Valentina

Colston, Matt

Dun, Kath

Gill, Ian

Mansley, Sam

Sargison, Neil

English

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Sargison, N., Busin, V., Colston, M., Dun, K., Gill, I. and Mansley, 
S. (2017) Global challenges for sustainable food production. Veterinary 
Record, 180(14), p. 364. (doi:10.1136/vr.j1714) 
 
This is the author’s final accepted version. 
 
There may be differences between this version and the published version. 
You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from 
it. 
 
http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/157536/  
                    
 
 
 
 
 
 
Deposited on: 22 February 2018 
 
 
 
 
 
Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow 
http://eprints.gla.ac.uk  
Letter: Global challenges for sustainable food production. 
 
Neil Sargison, Valentina Busin, Matt Colston, Kath Dun, Ian Gill, Sam Mansley, Agnes Winter  
 
Neil Sargison,  University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush 
Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian, UK. EH25 9RG 
Valentina Busin, Diplomate of the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management,  
Matt Colston, Chairman 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress, 
Kath Dun, President, Sheep Veterinary Society, 
Ian Gill, International Sheep Veterinary Association,  
Sam Mansley, 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress committee, 
Agnes Winter, Former President of the Sheep Veterinary Society, 
 
Corresponding author: neil.sargison@ed.ac.uk 
 
Small ruminants are important globally in industrialised agriculture and subsistence farming 
systems.  Small ruminant production is inherently inefficient, typically resulting in 
dependence upon subsidy support to protect economic returns, or failure to alleviate 
poverty in resource-deprived lower and middle income countries.  Improving the efficiency 
of small ruminant production integrated with whole agricultural systems is vital to tackling 
global challenges of food and environmental security arising from population growth and 
climate change. 
 
An editorial in the Veterinary Record on 18th March 2017 described the immediate efficiency 
savings to be made through improvements in basic animal husbandry and health 
management (McNeilly 2017).  The editorial was accompanied by an image of 
transhumance sheep farming in southern India, in which sheep were being folded overnight 
on arable land, providing a sustainable source of manure.  The image showed the impact of 
rapid urbanisation, whereby new buildings threaten a historically efficient method of food 
production by blocking daily access to water, while the affluence of their occupants creates 
an increased demand for sheep meat.  The image depicted an individual recumbent and 
pyrexic ewe and another sick animal being caught for symptomatic treatment with generic 
flunixin, oxytetracycline and fluoroquinolone drugs.  In all probability the animal health 
problem was caused by peste des petits ruminants (PPR). 
 
In October 2016, an announcement was made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of 
the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) of an 
ambitious global plan to eradicate PPR by 2030 (Veterinary Record, News and Reports 
2016).  However, the aforementioned scenario raises questions about how to instigate a 
rational disease control programme without access to veterinary diagnostic or vaccine 
distribution infrastructures.  Consideration of PPR in the context of transhumance sheep 
farming raises concerns over responsible medicines use, biosecurity and the spread of other 
unrecognised production limiting diseases.  Furthermore, the close contact between 
shepherds and their animals highlights the potential to improve human health standards 
through the control of zoonotic diseases.   
 
The theme of the 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress will be opportunities for 
improvement in small ruminant production efficiency to sustainably meet the needs of the 
world’s growing human population for food (Fig. 1).  The complex agricultural, animal 
health, environmental, economic, political, cultural and behavioural dimensions surrounding 
food security challenges will be explored through plenary, keynote and proffered talks and 
posters, alongside a clinical strand focussed on health challenges facing the UK sheep 
sector.  There will be a series of structured interactive workshops aimed at sharing opinions 
and expertise to identify solutions to specific challenges such as those outlined in the 
transhumance sheep case study, including a plenary workshop aimed at informing global 
control and eradication of PPR.  The congress will conclude with a summary discussion, 
bringing together all of the aforementioned strands to format clear recommendations and 
guidelines to allow small ruminant health and production to meet the needs of the world’s 
growing human population.   
 
 
References 
 
McNEILLY, T.N. (2017)  Global food security via efficient livestock production: targeting poor 
animal husbandry.  Veterinary Record 180, 276-277. doi: 10.1136/vr.j1236 
 
VETERINARY RECORD, NEWS AND REPORTS (2016)  Eradication of PPR: ‘initial battle plan 
launched’.  Veterinary Record 179, 447.   doi: 10.1136/vr.i5841 
 
 
Figure 
 
 
FIG 1: The 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress 
(http://www.sheepvetsoc.org.uk/isvc2017) will be held in Harrogate, UK between 22nd and 
26th May 2017 to address the global need for coherent improvement in sustainable small 
ruminant production through the application of precise strategies to make more efficient 
use of natural resources. 


Global challenges for sustainable food production

Enlighten

    Sargison, N., Busin, V., Colston, M., Dun, K., Gill, I. and Mansley, S. (2017) Global challenges for sustainable food production. Veterinary Record, 180(14), p. 364. (doi:10.1136/vr.j1714)  This is the author’s final accepted version.  There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it.  http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/157536/                            Deposited on: 22 February 2018      Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk  Letter: Global challenges for sustainable food production.  Neil Sargison, Valentina Busin, Matt Colston, Kath Dun, Ian Gill, Sam Mansley, Agnes Winter   Neil Sargison,  University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian, UK. EH25 9RG Valentina Busin, Diplomate of the European College of Small Ruminant Health Management,  Matt Colston, Chairman 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress, Kath Dun, President, Sheep Veterinary Society, Ian Gill, International Sheep Veterinary Association,  Sam Mansley, 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress committee, Agnes Winter, Former President of the Sheep Veterinary Society,  Corresponding author: neil.sargison@ed.ac.uk  Small ruminants are important globally in industrialised agriculture and subsistence farming systems.  Small ruminant production is inherently inefficient, typically resulting in dependence upon subsidy support to protect economic returns, or failure to alleviate poverty in resource-deprived lower and middle income countries.  Improving the efficiency of small ruminant production integrated with whole agricultural systems is vital to tackling global challenges of food and environmental security arising from population growth and climate change.  An editorial in the Veterinary Record on 18th March 2017 described the immediate efficiency savings to be made through improvements in basic animal husbandry and health management (McNeilly 2017).  The editorial was accompanied by an image of transhumance sheep farming in southern India, in which sheep were being folded overnight on arable land, providing a sustainable source of manure.  The image showed the impact of rapid urbanisation, whereby new buildings threaten a historically efficient method of food production by blocking daily access to water, while the affluence of their occupants creates an increased demand for sheep meat.  The image depicted an individual recumbent and pyrexic ewe and another sick animal being caught for symptomatic treatment with generic flunixin, oxytetracycline and fluoroquinolone drugs.  In all probability the animal health problem was caused by peste des petits ruminants (PPR).  In October 2016, an announcement was made by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) of an ambitious global plan to eradicate PPR by 2030 (Veterinary Record, News and Reports 2016).  However, the aforementioned scenario raises questions about how to instigate a rational disease control programme without access to veterinary diagnostic or vaccine distribution infrastructures.  Consideration of PPR in the context of transhumance sheep farming raises concerns over responsible medicines use, biosecurity and the spread of other unrecognised production limiting diseases.  Furthermore, the close contact between shepherds and their animals highlights the potential to improve human health standards through the control of zoonotic diseases.    The theme of the 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress will be opportunities for improvement in small ruminant production efficiency to sustainably meet the needs of the world’s growing human population for food (Fig. 1).  The complex agricultural, animal health, environmental, economic, political, cultural and behavioural dimensions surrounding food security challenges will be explored through plenary, keynote and proffered talks and posters, alongside a clinical strand focussed on health challenges facing the UK sheep sector.  There will be a series of structured interactive workshops aimed at sharing opinions and expertise to identify solutions to specific challenges such as those outlined in the transhumance sheep case study, including a plenary workshop aimed at informing global control and eradication of PPR.  The congress will conclude with a summary discussion, bringing together all of the aforementioned strands to format clear recommendations and guidelines to allow small ruminant health and production to meet the needs of the world’s growing human population.     References  McNEILLY, T.N. (2017)  Global food security via efficient livestock production: targeting poor animal husbandry.  Veterinary Record 180, 276-277. doi: 10.1136/vr.j1236  VETERINARY RECORD, NEWS AND REPORTS (2016)  Eradication of PPR: ‘initial battle plan launched’.  Veterinary Record 179, 447.   doi: 10.1136/vr.i5841   Figure   FIG 1: The 9th International Sheep Veterinary Congress (http://www.sheepvetsoc.org.uk/isvc2017) will be held in Harrogate, UK between 22nd and 26th May 2017 to address the global need for coherent improvement in sustainable small ruminant production through the application of precise strategies to make more efficient use of natural resources. 

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