Why Healthy Animals Are More Sustainable
The Economic, Environmental, & Nutritional Benefits of Healthy Animals
The data is clear. When animals are healthy, they’re more productive. More productive animals mean more nutrition in the food supply, lower emissions, and stronger economic benefits.
The Consequences of Unhealthy Animals
The health of animals, people, and the planet are all connected. Veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers rely on animal health products to protect animal welfare and prevent diseases from passing between animals and humans. Animal health also has a profound effect on our food supply.
The share of food as a proportion of overall consumer expenditure has been on the rise in recent years, reaching 12.9% in 2023. Animal disease disrupts the availability and prices of common products such as milk, meat, and eggs. In this sense, animal disease impacts food inflation, consumer inflation, and the broader economy.
The animal health sector, which is comprised of companies that develop tools to protect the health and welfare of animals, has completed a report that examines the connections between animal health and sustainability. US Animal Health: Advancing Security & Sustainability is an analysis of the economic and environmental benefits of strong animal health performance in the United States. Key findings include:
Three case studies highlight the relationship between healthy animals and sustainability:
