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