Healthy animals equalshealthy, productive people
Lorne A Babiuk University of Alberta
Livestock-based options for sustainable food and nutritional security, economic well-being and healthy lives
ILRI@40 Conference
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 6–7 November 2014
Global challenges• Currently 1 billion people go to bed hungry• By 2050 predict 2 billion more people• Land resources decreasing• Climate change• Agriculture investments decreased in 2000• Increase in food prices• Increased need for protein• Developing world increased demand for
animal protein
Global Challenges (cont.)• Livestock are a reliable cash income• Raise production of milk, meat and fish• 500 million smallholders support 2 billion
people• Almost 2/3 of poor smallholder livestock
keepers are women• Technology adoption may be a challenge but
also a saviour• Healthy animals = healthy food = healthy
productive people = increased economic stability
Gains in meat consumption in developingcountries are outpacing those of developed
FAO 2006
70% of the world’s livestock (18.5 billion head) are in developing countries and the share is growing
FAO
Livestock in developing countries
Density of poor livestock keepers
One billion people earning <$2 a day depend on livestock:• 600 million in South Asia• 300 million in sub-Saharan Africa
0 or no data
Density of poor livestock keepers
ILRI, 2012
Livestock keepers in developing countries
BMGF, FAO and ILRI
Smallholders still dominate production in many counties
Percent of production from smallholders
Challenges• Mortality due to infections• Limits areas for raising livestock• Economic coats - animals - humans
Economic Impact of
Animal Diseases• Rinderpest - limited trade/exports• BSE – UK $ 2.5 billion direct compensation• BSE – Canada $ 1 billion direct
compensation • FMD (2001) $ 6 – 30 billion• SARS (2003) $100 billion• Influenza annually • Ebola – currently causing devastation• Emerging diseases -- unknown economic
losses
Currently over 70% of New
or Emerging Diseases
are Zoonotic
Zoonosis
• Economic consequences to farms/producers• International trade barriers• Price of food• Human health
Transmission from Humans to Animals and Back
Biotechnology in the
Developed world
Biotechnology in the
Developing world
Genomic approaches to Animal
Health• Vaccination• Breeding disease resistant animals• Marker assisted management high quality carcasses
VACCINES
“Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective approaches for the management of infectious disease”
The problem
The solution• Develop thermal stable vaccines• Protection in multiple species• Employ as vectors for other pathogens• Result in protection from disease in target
species• Result in protection of humans• Result in increased economic benefit
18
Etiology The Capripoxvirus Group
LUMPY SKIN DISEASE
SHEEP POX GOAT POX
No Known Wildlife ReservoirLimited Host Range
97% similar at the genetic levelCapripoxviruses have no serotypes
Removal of virulence gene
Figure 6: Clinical signs and gross pathology following vaccination (1 x 102.3 pfu) and challenge in sheep and goats at 10 days post-challenge. (A) Conjunctivitis in unvaccinated sheep; (B and C) lack
of pox lesions in vaccinated sheep and goats, respectively, are in contrast to pox lesions seen in unvaccinated goats (D) and sheep (F) at the same time point. Nasal and mucosal discharges were
also observed in unvaccinated animals (E).
X
Schematic showing the generation of the KO_1 vaccine construct containing protective antigen genes of RVFV and PPRV. The protective glycoproteins (GnGc) of RVFV and the fusion (F) protein of PPRV were inserted into the selected target site of
the KO_1 genome.
C
Stage 2: Generation of the KO_1 vectored RVF-PPR vaccine construct.
Genetics can improve production
• Classical breeding/selection
• Biotechnology
Agriculture• Knowledge of the genetic
variants that affect livestock health and productivity can assist with breeding efforts aimed at improving these traits.
• Or with precision management by genotype
5% improvement in feed efficiency = $300,000,000
Genomics in Livestock?• Parentage or the origin of a piece of meat• To identify carriers of a genetic disease• To manage “genetic health”/diversity (dF)• To determine the genetic potential of an
animal at birth• E.g.
– The carcass grade of a steer/ pig– A sire’s ability to breed prolific daughters– An animals ability to tolerate environmental or disease challenge
(robustness)
Bovine Macro-array
Determining which alleles are present (genotyping)
• Genotyping chips can be used to determine which SNPs are present in an individual’s genome.
The Opportunity
• Converting DNA sequence into useful genotyping tools
• Analyzing thousands of animals to convert genotypes into predictions
• Converting genetic code into decision support tools to improve the efficiency of quality meat and milk production
• To tailor raw material to markets
Marker Assisted Management
Is this the best use of our beef?
Marker Assisted Management: cont’d
High Quality Carcass
Feedlot
Marker Assisted Management: cont’d
Conclusion• Increasing food security is critical• Technology is available to benefit society• Adoption of technology may be a challenge• Developing world is poised for great human
development opportunities and challenges• Healthy animals =healthy people= healthy
environment=stable economic environments