ERS tracks animal health and welfare issues as they relate
to food safety and the production and availability of
animals for processing into meat. Specific livestock production
technologies, like feeding low levels of antimicrobial
drugs to livestock, become important when they have the
potential to impact food safety or human health. Antimicrobial
resistance (the ability of bacteria or other microbes
to resist the effects of antimicrobial drugs) is a global
concern for both human health and agriculture. Moreover,
animal diseases increasingly affect international trade,
food safety, and human health. The care and welfare of
animals raised for food has also become an issue for consumers
in some countries.
Feeding low levels of antimicrobial drugs to livestock can affect
food safety, human health, and livestock production costs
and returns. Antimicrobial
Resistance and Veterinary Costs in U.S. Livestock Production
(May 2001) examine the economics of antimicrobial resistance in livestock
and the economic implications of banning the use of growth-enhancing
antimicrobial drugs in livestock production.
Diseases that are specific to certain types of livestock, but not humans, can cause catastrophic economic losses to U.S. producers, as well as affecting the availability and prices of meats and other animal products. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is the first line of defense in preventing cross-species diseases from entering the U.S. food supply, where they could affect the human population. Live animal imports are regulated by APHIS to ensure that livestock diseases—such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or mad cow disease), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), swine flu, and avian flu—are not introduced to domestic animals or humans. One factor affecting the spread of disease among livestock is Interstate Livestock Movements (June 2003).
Because the purposeful introduction of animal disease is considered a homeland security issue, the market effects of the spread of such diseases are receiving increased scrutiny. For a discussion of issues surrounding BSE and FMD, see:
See How Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) Has Affected World Poultry-Meat Trade (October 2007) for a description of the trade effects of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Animal welfare is a collective term that describes physical conditions
that make animals comfortable and free from distress.
Some consumers are concerned not only with characteristics
such as the nutritive content of animal products, but
also want assurances that food animals are raised in humane
conditions and receive humane treatment during handling
and slaughter. ERS follows industry developments, as well
as regulations in other countries, to identify the market
impacts of animal welfare issues.
ERS also has information on the economic issues that affect the safety of the U.S. food supply—including the effectiveness and equity of alternative policies and programs designed to protect consumers from unsafe food—in
the Food Safety briefing room.
Other regulatory programs that affect livestock production
systems are discussed in the Regulatory
Issues section of this briefing room.
See the Animal Care and
Food Safety section of the recommended reading page
for ERS reports and articles related to animal care and
food safety.
Suggested Links
USDA National Agricultural Library
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
- The Animal
Welfare page describes APHIS's role in determining standards of humane care and treatment of animals and in implementing those standards through inspection, education, and cooperative efforts.
- Centers
for Epidemiology and Animal Health produces timely,
factual information and knowledge about animal health.
- Center
for Emerging Issues identifies and analyzes
both emerging animal health issues and changing industry
dynamics.
- Hot
Issues such as recent disease outbreaks and APHIS
initiatives.
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Livestock
Issues Research Unit, conducts research to determine
how stress affects the physiological and behavioral responses
of livestock.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers
for Disease Control, provides general and technical information
about antimicrobial
resistance.
United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization
World Animal Health Organization, Office International des Epizooties (OIE) is an intergovernmental organization created to collect, analyze, and disseminate scientific information and to foster international cooperation and consistency in animal disease control.
David
Blandford's website at Penn State University provides
information for consumers who are interested not only
in the food they eat, but also how that food is produced.
This site contains information about European animal welfare
activity.
Temple
Grandin's website at Colorado State University contains
information about livestock behavior, design of facilities,
and humane slaughter.
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