2024: Can the Prevention of Diseases in Cattle Reduce Their Footprint?
Livestock disease reduces meat and milk output and increases the environmental resources needed to produce animal proteins for human consumption. In addition, overuse of antibiotics in livestock may alter animals’ microbiome and affect their methane production, a potent greenhouse gas. Cornell researchers will use new, state-of-the-art livestock respiration chambers to study the effect of common infectious diseases on dairy cattle methane emissions. Researchers will also develop partnerships with organizations in low- and middle-income countries to expand methane emissions measurements and investigate how disease prevention can reduce the environmental impact of cattle production to drive sustainable development globally.
Investigators: Francisco Leal Yepes (Veterinary College/Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences), Leslie Verteramo Chiu (Cornell CALS/Global Development), Joseph McFadden (Cornell CALS/Animal Science)