The carbon cost of poor animal health on the planet

Fewer animals with improved efficiency will result in more land being available for woodland or forestry, for example, capturing carbon within the farm

Poor livestock health hampers the sustainability of farms in different ways.

Many Irish farmers joke that they live by the saying “happy cows, happy life”, but the bigger research picture is now showing happy, healthy livestock could also mean a better future for the planet.

Analysis by think tank Oxford Analytica suggests a 10% drop in livestock disease could equate to an 800 million tonne drop in global emissions — that’s roughly the same carbon footprint as 117 million Europeans.