A global veterinary medical perspective on the concept of one health: focus on livestock.
While globalization has yielded many benefits for society, it also has created many new challenges, particularly with regard to animal, human, and environmental health. Livestock contribute significantly to the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people worldwide and global demand for foods of animal origin has been steadily increasing for decades. It is therefore critical to recognize and understand the global dimension of livestock production and its impacts. Despite the clear benefits of livestock for humans, some livestock production practices are associated with certain forms of environmental degradation, and trade in livestock and livestock products can contribute to the emergence and spread of new animal and zoonotic diseases. This article provides a review of the major global trends affecting livestock production and trade, related implications for human, animal, and environmental health, and reasons why veterinarians should embrace a One Health approach in dealing with disease problems in this era of globalization.
Department of Environmental and Population Health, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, 200 Westboro Road, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA. dmsherman@rcn.com
David M
DM
Sherman
D000818:Animals; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D058751:Livestock; D015047:Zoonoses