Animal health and welfare in the livestock industry 2016 to 2024 - Strategy review

Theme 5: Societal impact

Action 11: the Scottish Government will continue to monitor the links between animal health and welfare, and wider societal and climatic concerns. Scottish Government will report regularly on developments.

Climate and environmental impact

Reducing emissions from livestock production is key to lowering agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland. According to the National Inventory, greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector fell by 13% between 1990 and 2019. This reduction is largely attributable to four factors:

• efficiency improvements in farming, such as higher milk yields per cow
• a reduction in cattle and sheep numbers
• a reduction in the amount of nitrogen fertiliser being applied
• a reduction in grassland being ploughed for arable production

In December 2020, the Scottish Government published Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 – update, which outlined current emissions envelopes for agriculture. Subsequently, in August 2021, The Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB) was established to support the Scottish Government’s efforts to implement policy reforms aimed at enhancing nature restoration and reducing agricultural emissions. This work incorporates relevant recommendations from the Farmer-led climate change groups representing the suckler beef, dairy, pig and arable, hill, upland and crofting sectors. Several of the farmer-led groups proposed measures to improve animal health and welfare on farms, contributing to increased production efficiency and reduced environmental impact.

The Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture, published in March 2022, sets out an ambition to transform support for farming and food production in Scotland, positioning the country as a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. This commitment forms the foundation of a robust and coherent framework for Scotland’s future agriculture support regime from 2025 onwards. It includes a pledge to ensure that farmers, crofters and land managers receive the appropriate support to enhance animal health and welfare, and adopts a co-design approach to achieving this and other sustainability objectives.

Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) was launched in spring 2022. The PSF scheme forms part of the broader agricultural transformation agenda. It is designed to support farmers and crofters in transitioning from the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regime to a future rural support mechanism tailored to Scotland’s needs. Nine Animal Health and Welfare PSF interventions for cattle and sheep were developed in collaboration with industry experts and have been well received by both veterinary professionals and farmers.

A study conducted by SRUC showed that the Scottish suckler beef sector has the potential to cut greenhouse gas emissions recorded in the National Inventory by up to 10% – rising to 20% with the widespread adoption of methane inhibitors. The Scottish Government-funded Beef Efficiency Scheme, which ran from 2016 to 2021, was hosted on the ScotEID system and was based on the active use of whole-life data for individual animals. It incorporated genotyping and management improvements, including breeding selection. Combined with findings from the Livestock Health Scotland study on causes of calf loss, this work highlights significant potential to further improve sector efficiency through improved management practices and veterinary interventions that address fertility and reproductive performance.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (ARC) Act 2024

The Agriculture and Rural Communities Act 2024 (ARC Act 2024) sets out five overarching objectives for agricultural policy, including “the promotion and support of agricultural practices that protect and improve animal health and welfare”. To support this objective, the ARC Act 2024 provides new and updated powers that Scottish Ministers may use to promote, protect or improve animal health and welfare. This represents a significant step forward in the use of public funds – should Ministers choose to exercise these powers – to address the societal expectation that the health and welfare of animals kept for food production is optimised.

Research on livestock health and climate change

Scientific and industry analyses have consistently demonstrated the impact of poor livestock health on both economic and environmental efficiency in production. These reports have also identified practical actions that could be taken at the farm level to prevent and control diseases. Notable examples include a 2016 study commissioned by the Scottish Government from its ClimateXChange Centre of Expertise on Livestock Health & Greenhouse Gas Emissions and a report from the UK industry’s Ruminant Health and Welfare Group titled Acting on methane: opportunities for the UK cattle and sheep sectors.

It is clear that some diseases are more tractable and cost-effective to address than others, depending on the availability of preventative tools such as diagnostic tests, vaccines and management interventions. While we have made progress in tackling BVD and we have conducted pilots on sheep scab, OPA and PRRS, further consideration is needed around continuity, incentives, enforcement and the objective of eradication or control. Importantly, the criteria used to assess greenhouse gas emissions in the National Inventory may not align directly with consumer-facing metrics, such as emissions per kg of meat or litre of milk. This distinction should be taken into account when evaluating the environmental impact of livestock health interventions.

Animal welfare and societal concern

The importance of animal welfare as a societal concern was recognised in the National Good Food Nation Plan published in January 2024. One of the stated outcomes is that “Scotland’s food system is sustainable and contributes to a flourishing natural environment. It supports our net zero ambitions, and plays an important role in maintaining and improving animal welfare and in restoring and regenerating biodiversity.”

A joint Great Britain-wide consultation on method of production and country of origin welfare labelling of animal products ran from 12 March to 7 May 2024.

Lesson identified: control of endemic diseases has many potential benefits for livestock welfare, the environment and economic efficiency. Next steps should include consideration of the impacts on greenhouse gas emissions per kg of meat or litre of milk and the greenhouse gas inventory assessment, alongside the use of incentives and enforcement.

Mental health and wellbeing of farmers and vets

Major events such as the FMD outbreak in 2001 demonstrate the profound impact that disease outbreaks can have on farmers. The loss of income, culling of animals and uncertainty surrounding the future of the farm create periods of increased stress for farmers and their families. Increases in feed prices or reductions in the value of produce also have long-term effects on farmer’s mental health. We recognise that the nature of rural farming life can lead individuals and their families to feel isolated during such times.

Recognising the importance of support, we continue to fund the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RSABI), which provides emotional, practical and financial assistance to people across the agricultural sector. In response to the significant uncertainly faced by the rural communities and businesses due to the impact of COVID-19 and the UK’s transition out of the EU, we committed £200,000 in funding to RSABI over the period 2020-2022, to help meet the anticipated increase in demand for their services. This additional funding enabled RSABI to continue delivering vital support to those in need.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association recognise that maintaining good mental health can be a challenge within the veterinary profession and have established support systems accordingly. Anecdotally, the mental health of vets working in large animal practice is positively influenced by their ability to take preventative action to reduce health and welfare issues in the herds and flocks under their care.

Lesson identified: given the links between animal health and welfare, human health and wellbeing and the environment, we should consider the adoption of a One Health-One Welfare approach to our animal health and welfare policies and delivery. These new concepts are gathering acceptance in the medical, veterinary and scientific communities and from international organisations including the World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Organisation for Animal Health.