Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and air quality specialist in co-operative extension at the Department of Animal Science at the University of California (UC) Davis, has expressed hope that Irish vets press policy makers on the risk of carbon leakage.
Highlighting the importance of utilising natural resources to feed the world’s growing population at the recent Cattle Association of Veterinary Ireland (CAVI) Sustainable Livestock Production Conference, Dr. Mitloehner said: “Without ruminants, we could not make use of two thirds of all agricultural land in the world.
“We have a limited amount of natural resources to feed the growing global human population. It is imperative for us to make the best use of all the resources we have.
“If you reduce your livestock, the consumer demand for animal products remains, so this food will simply be produced by other countries, which then produce the emissions – this is called leakage and it doesn’t work.
“I hope that the veterinary community in Ireland helps your policy makers understand this point.
“For a country like Ireland, to me there is no doubt that you have to use those resources, all that green grass that you are famous for all over the world, in order to produce highly-nutritious food products,” he added.
He also focused on the importance of re-thinking how we manage methane: “Tackling the issue around livestock and its impact on our climate demands for us to re-think methane.
“The gas is only a problem if we don’t manage it but if we do manage it, it can be a solution. Opportunities such as converting methane into electrical power to replace fossil fuels should be explored.
“Reducing methane reduces global warming.”
Also speaking at the conference, Veterinary Ireland member and XLVets member, Donal Lynch, said: “The veterinary industry, hand-in-hand with farmers across the country, is already doing a lot to promote ongoing health on farms, which contributes to addressing our environmental impact and is helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“We need to continue to upskill in the area of sustainability and explore the issues and the solutions that will help us to achieve our targets.”
CAVI conference
The CAVI Sustainable Livestock Production Conference took place on Wednesday (January 18) at the Tullamore Court Hotel, Co. Offaly.
The aim of the event was to explore the environmental impact of Ireland’s agriculture and food industries and to examine how vets, working with their clients, can positively impact and contribute towards a more sustainable agricultural sector.
A range of expert speakers, both Irish and International, offered a local and global perspective on the challenges, and the potential solutions, facing the cattle sector.
The event was sponsored by MSD Animal Health Ireland and XLVets Ireland. Donal Murphy of XL Vets opened the conference and Geoff Dooley was the MC for the event.
Other speakers on the day included Fergal Morris, MVB, general manager, MSD Animal Health Ireland, who discussed the future of technology in sustainability.
John Murray, director of Meat, Food and Beverage Sectors with Bord Bia, offered an update on developments within the Origin Green initiative.
Teagasc’s Dr. Tom O’Dwyer, focused his presentation on cattle sustainability and Prof. David Kenny, examined mitigation strategies to reduce GHG emissions from Irish pasture-based livestock production systems.
Rachel Hayton, Synergy Farm Health, presented on the topic of how to embed sustainability in veterinary practice.
Dr. Doreen Corridan from Munster Bovine offered some insight into Irish processors’ view on sustainability.