Researchers at the University of Queensland say mRNA vaccine technology could play an important role in increasing livestock production to meet global food demand.
Cows – illustrative photo. Image credit: Pixabay (Free Pixabay license)
UQ Professor Tim Mahony said it was vital the livestock industry took advantage of the unprecedented investment in mRNA vaccination technology triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Infectious diseases limit the production of edible proteins for human consumption, which affects both the quality and quantity of the product,” Professor Mahony said.
“One of the advantages of mRNA vaccines is the flexibility to make changes when new disease variants emerge, making them an ideal solution for reducing losses in livestock production systems in the future.
“For a complex disease like bovine respiratory disease, a conventional approach would require us to make a vaccine for each individual pathogen.
“But an mRNA vaccine allows us to separate these pathogens and select which ones to incorporate into a single vaccine. »
A report by research firm Oxford Analytica commissioned by international non-profit Animal Health estimated that US$982 million was lost every day due to productivity losses in livestock industries.
The study also found that each percentage point reduction in beef cattle losses due to disease could provide enough food to meet the needs of 317 million people, while a 10 percent reduction in disease could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Professor Mahony said the challenge was for livestock industries to exploit rapid advances in vaccination to combat major diseases affecting production.
“For some neglected diseases, the identification of protective antigens remains a critical knowledge gap,” he said.
“Currently, there are no mRNA vaccines approved for use in food animals.
“As these vaccines are being developed for animals, they will be subject to scrutiny by multiple agencies as part of the strict approval processes for use in livestock.
“MRNAs are essential molecules in the cells of all animals and plants that we consume in our diet.
“Despite this, consumer safety will be an important consideration before mRNA vaccines are approved for use in livestock.
“The major challenge is for governments, major industry bodies and veterinary health companies to make the investments necessary to develop mRNA vaccines for ruminants and other livestock.
“As we’ve seen with the pandemic, if you put enough resources in one place, things can happen very quickly. »
The research article was published in the journal Vaccines.
Source: University of Queensland
Originally published in The European Times.
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