Animal health

Animal production is under constant pressure due to new and re-emerging pathogens resulting from natural evolution of micro-organisms, and anthropogenic factors such as globalisation, trade development, damages to ecosystems and climate change. Transmissible animal diseases can have devastating impacts on agricultural sustainability as they entail production losses (up to 20% according to OIE), generate trade disruptions and affect the whole economy, as experienced with epidemic diseases like avian influenza, African swine fever or endemic diseases (e.g. bovine tuberculosis). These pathogens can have a serious impact on human health and food safety, when agents causing the diseases can be transmitted between animals and humans ('zoonoses'), or through the inappropriate use of antimicrobials leading to resistance (estimated to be responsible for 33,000 human deaths per year in the EU alone); which makes One Health an important approach. The Farm to Fork strategy set an ambitious target for reducing the sales of antimicrobials in livestock production by 50% by 2030. Diseases are also detrimental to animal welfare and their control is key to improving overall production efficiency. Honeybee health is critical not only for apiculture but also for ecosystem services (pollination). Research and Innovation are key enablers for keeping healthy livestock in a challenging environment, while contributing to sustainable farming systems, food security and public health. Fighting diseases and developing practices that would prevent their occurrence in the first place requires integrated approaches, an increased generation and management of data and the development of a range of tools for prevention, monitoring, control along with risk management strategies. This includes ensuring prudent use of antimicrobials and seeking alternatives to antimicrobials. The research and innovation ecosystem will be further consolidated through a Horizon Europe partnership on animal health and welfare, to be tentatively launched in 2024.