The recent Farming Profitability Review by Baroness Minnette Batters has painted a bleak picture for the future of British agriculture without sweeping changes.
The report made a series of recommendations around the need for partnerships, technology and innovation but, for agriculture to remain resilient, the sobering reality is that sustainable profitability can only be engineered through efficiency.
While much of the national conversation focuses on policy and environmental schemes, a fundamental driver of sustainable profit lies closer to home within the health of the herd and flock.
For MSD Animal Health, the equation is simple: a healthy animal is a profitable animal, and a profitable animal is a sustainable one.
By shifting the mindset from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, farmers can simultaneously create more sustainable businesses and bolster their bottom line.
The Hidden Cost of Endemic Disease
Sustainability is often discussed in terms of "carbon sequestration" or "renewable energy," but disease prevention is one of the most effective, yet underutilised, tools for reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions at the farm gate.
Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) is one example of this. Beyond the immediate impact on milk yield and growth rates, the environmental cost of the disease is substantial. According to Defra's life cycle analysis of endemic diseases, eradicating IBR in Great Britain would be the equivalent of planting 11 million trees or removing 60,000 cars from our roads听(1).
"When a disease like IBR or BVD circulates in a herd, you are essentially feeding 鈥榰nproductive' carbon," says Johnny Mackey from MSD Animal Health. "The animal is consuming resources and emitting methane, but its output, whether meat or milk, is compromised. Vaccination helps pay for itself through improved Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE)."
Proven Gains in the Field
The financial argument for vaccination is equally compelling in the sheep sector. A recent collaborative project between MSD Animal Health, Dunbia, and Sainsbury's focused on tackling sheep lameness across ten pilot farms.
By implementing a robust control protocol including vaccination, lameness levels were halved, resulting in a combined saving of more than 拢54,000 for those ten businesses(2).
This proves animal welfare and commercial viability are two sides of the same coin. When we reduce the prevalence of lameness or respiratory disease, we reduce the need for antibiotic interventions and prevent the growth checks that delay finishing times and increase costs.
The Role of Precision Technology
While vaccination provides the biological shield, technology provides the oversight. In the MSD听Time For Tech听report, Professor Jude L. Capper notes technology's impact on sustainability is profound. By utilising data-driven insights, farmers can identify the "silent" underperformers before they become a drain on resources.
She says: "The challenge is to widen the adoption of technologies across farming systems so the sustainability benefits of technology can be realised across all livestock sectors."
Technology looks different across the species but can bring huge benefits. For example, in dairy, monitoring collars can detect subtle changes in rumination or activity, flagging a potential health issue days before clinical signs appear. In poultry and swine automated environmental controls and weight monitoring systems are helping to ensure optimal growth curves and early disease detection.
Mackey from MSD Animal Health adds: "Technology allows us to move from managing the 鈥榓verage' of a group to managing the individual. This precision ensures every gram of feed and every litre of water is converted as efficiently as possible, minimising waste and maximising margins."
Navigating the Path Forward
For farmers looking to audit their own preventative strategies, the NOAH Livestock Vaccination Guidelines serve as an essential roadmap. These guidelines provide a structured approach to ensuring the right vaccines are used at the right time.
To complete the circle on sustainable profit, we must look at the One Health concept. This recognises the health of people, animals, and our shared environment are inextricably linked.
"The entwining of sustainability and profit is best viewed through the One Health lens," explains Mackey from MSD Animal Health. "By keeping livestock healthy through vaccination and technology, we reduce the reliance on antimicrobials, safeguard human food chains, and lower the environmental burden of farming.
"It creates a virtuous cycle where the farmer's profit is protected by the same actions that protect the planet."
Ultimately, the path to a profitable future, as advocated by Baroness Batters, requires a commitment to the basics. By prioritising preventative health, British farmers can lead the world in producing high-quality protein that is as green as it is gold.
听
References:
听1 - (Life cycle analysis of endemic diseases on GHG emissions intensity (AC0120), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 2015)
2 - MSD Animal Health Market Access Dunbia Lameness Study (2022-2025).
