Livestock development in poor countries will face increasingly stiff regulations for operating in a carbon-constrained economy.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated in 2006 that global livestock contributes up to 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from land use change (carbon dioxide), enteric fermentation from ruminants (methane) and manure management (nitrous oxide).

To help the world’s 600 million livestock keepers not only increase their livestock production but do so efficiently and sustainability will require continuing advances in the three traditional pillars of livestock development: breeding, feeding and health.

And much more.

A 4-degree warmer world could plausibly be reached by 2070 or even 2060. This will mean average temperature rises of a massive 15ºC in the Arctic, and 3–8ºC in the world’s most populated areas.

Agriculture is highly sensitive even to a 2-degree scenario; a 4-degree world is beyond our knowledge and experience.

Livestock and agricultural researchers foresee profound…