Cows, Sheep, Pigs News

March 25, 2025

Top Headlines

Extreme Heat Impacts Dairy Production, Small Farms Most Vulnerable

Mar. 18, 2025 — Livestock agriculture is bearing the cost of extreme weather events. A new study explores how heat stress affects U.S. dairy production, finding that high heat and humidity lead to a 1% decline in annual milk yield. Small farms are hit harder than ...

Current Antivirals Likely Less Effective Against Severe Infection Caused by Bird Flu Virus in Cows' Milk

Mar. 17, 2025 — Existing antivirals may be less effective against this H5N1 bird flu strain, and prevention measures, such as avoiding raw milk consumption and reducing exposure in dairy workers, may be the most ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — A significant amount of the milk used in a popular cooking cheese can be substituted with plants, all while maintaining its taste and texture. Researchers have demonstrated this by creating a hybrid version of paneer, a popular South Asian cheese, ...

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors (With Carnivores)

Mar. 17, 2025 — A new study has found that fortified enclosures also benefit nearby livestock keepers by preventing carnivore ...

Latest Headlines

updated 5:42pm EDT

New CRISPRs Expand Upon the Original's Abilities

Mar. 13, 2025 — Researchers have discovered a handful of new CRISPR-Cas systems that could add to the capabilities of the already transformational gene editing and DNA manipulation toolbox. Of the new recruits, one ...

Immunity Against Seasonal H1N1 Flu Reduces Bird Flu Severity in Ferrets, Study Suggests

Feb. 26, 2025 — Pre-existing immunity against seasonal H1N1 flu might help explain why most reported human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. have not resulted in ...

Backyard Poultry Face Bird Flu Risk When Migrating Mallards Stop to Rest

Feb. 24, 2025 — Knowing where, when and for how long mallard ducks -- natural carriers of avian influenza -- stop and rest as they migrate can help predict the probability that they will spread bird flu to backyard ...

Sweet Molasses Feed Key to Understanding Grazing Behavior in Cattle

Feb. 18, 2025 — Researchers tempted grazing cattle with sweet molasses feed to discover whether cows would roam far to graze or stick close to the herd, water supplies and feed ...

Killing H5N1 in Waste Milk -- An Alternative to Pasteurization

Feb. 14, 2025 — Researchers have found that acidification can kill H5N1 in waste milk, providing dairy farmers an affordable, easy-to-use alternative to ...

Barbeque and Grandma's Cookies: New Study Looks at Nostalgia, Comfort in Food Preparation for Older Adults

Feb. 11, 2025 — Foods that evoke a sense of nostalgia and comfort and have good texture variety are important considerations in prepared meals aimed at older adults, ...

Camel Milk Udderly Good Alterative to Traditional Dairy

Jan. 23, 2025 — In addition to being hypoallergenic, camel milk could potentially protect the gut from harmful enzymes and create healthier ...

People Prefer Meat Alternatives If They Are Significantly Cheaper Than Real Meat, Study Shows

Feb. 3, 2025 — Only a few people fundamentally oppose eating plant-based meat alternatives, a recent survey of 2,100 customers in the US shows. The study shows the ...

New Technology Tracks Dairy Cows for Improved Health and Productivity

Jan. 30, 2025 — High-quality milk remains in high demand, but managing the health of dairy cows is becoming increasingly challenging. To tackle this, researchers have developed an innovative location ...

Dung Data: Manure Can Help to Improve Global Maps of Herbivore Distribution

Jan. 16, 2025 — Detailed livestock models are important for land-use planning, disaster relief and food ...

Is Eating More Red Meat Bad for Your Brain?

Jan. 15, 2025 — People who eat more red meat, especially processed red meat like bacon, sausage and bologna, are more likely to have a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia when compared to those who eat ...

Bird Flu Is Mutating, but Antivirals Still Work

Jan. 15, 2025 — Researchers have identified nine mutations in a bird flu strain from a person in Texas. Bad news: this strain is more capable of causing disease and replicates better in the brain. Good news: ...

Just as Gouda: Improving the Quality of Cheese Alternatives

Jan. 14, 2025 — Scientists are working to produce plant-based cheese with all the characteristics of real cheese, but with better health benefits. To create a cheesy product with the same texture as the real thing, ...

Climate Fee on Food Could Effectively Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture While Ensuring a Social Balance

Jan. 10, 2025 — Greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture could be significantly reduced in a socially equitable way through a climate fee on food, combined with climate dividends. A new study suggests that pricing ...

Pet Dogs Often Overlooked as Spreader of Antimicrobial-Resistant Salmonella

Jan. 9, 2025 — Antibiotic-resistant Salmonella is a serious public health concern that has increased in recent years as the bacteria have developed ways to survive drugs. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease ...

Scientists Leverage Artificial Intelligence to Fast-Track Methane Mitigation Strategies in Animal Agriculture

Jan. 8, 2025 — A new study reveals that generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help expedite the search for solutions to reduce enteric methane emissions caused by cows in animal agriculture, which accounts ...

Officials Assess Threat of H5N1 Avian Flu

Jan. 2, 2025 — Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza A virus (HPAI H5N1) remains a low risk to the general public, and public health experts in the United States believe that available treatments and vaccines, as ...

Genes Linked to Deadly Parasites' Spread Beyond Africa Identified

Dec. 19, 2024 — Parasites that cause the deadly illness known as sleeping sickness can spread beyond their native Africa as a result of mutations to key genes, a study ...

Sugar Solution Fights Infection in Dairy Cows Just as Well as Antibiotics

Dec. 19, 2024 — A concentrated sugar solution could be just as effective as antibiotics at treating a common infection in dairy cows, according to a new ...

Flu Virus Remains Infectious in Refrigerated Raw Milk, Study Reveals

Dec. 16, 2024 — Influenza or flu virus remains infectious in refrigerated raw milk for up to five days, according to a new study. The findings come at a time when outbreaks of bird flu -- a different subtype of the ...

How Chemical Reactions Deplete Nutrients in Plant-Based Drinks

Dec. 13, 2024 — A new study of plant-based drinks reveals a common issue: they are lacking in proteins and essential amino acids compared to cow's milk. The explanation lies in their extensive processing, ...

Bighorn Sheep Face Death by Avalanche in Sierra Nevada Range

Dec. 10, 2024 — Snow cover in the Sierra Nevada is expected to shrink overall as the climate warms, but avalanche frequency could remain the same or even increase at high elevations. That's bad news for bighorn ...

Virtual Fences Are a Pollinator-Friendly Option for Ranchlands

Dec. 9, 2024 — Fences are an effective stationary method of corralling livestock, but their sharp borders can create sudden changes in native grassland vegetation and the pollinators and birds that live there. ...

Single Mutation in H5N1 Influenza Surface Protein Could Enable Easier Human Infection

Dec. 6, 2024 — A single modification in the protein found on the surface of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 influenza virus currently circulating in U.S. dairy cows could allow for easier ...

Scientists Identify Mutation That Could Facilitate H5N1 'Bird Flu' Virus Infection and Potential Transmission in Humans

Dec. 5, 2024 — Avian influenza viruses typically require several mutations to adapt and spread among humans, but what happens when just one change can increase the risk of becoming a pandemic virus? A recent study ...

Feeding Grazing Cattle Seaweed Cuts Methane Emissions by Almost 40%

Dec. 2, 2024 — Scientists find making a seaweed additive more accessible to grazing cattle reduces methane emissions 40% and could make cattle farming more ...

Automated 3D Computer Vision Model Offers a New Tool to Measure and Understand Dairy Cow Behavior and Welfare

Nov. 20, 2024 — Dairy cows typically rest for 10 or more hours a day, so a dry, clean, and comfortable place -- such as a freestall -- to lie down and rest is essential for their health, well-being, and production ...

Elephant Seal Colony Declines One Year After Avian Flu Outbreak

Nov. 11, 2024 — A year after an outbreak of H5N1 killed thousands of elephant seals in Argentina, only about a third of the seals normally expected here returned, scientists ...

Small Reductions to Meat Production in Wealthier Countries May Help Fight Climate Change, New Analysis Concludes

Nov. 4, 2024 — Scientists and environmental activists have consistently called for drastic reductions in meat production as a way to reduce emissions and, in doing so, combat climate change. However, a new analysis ...

Thin Skin Significantly Blunts Injury from Puncture

Oct. 28, 2024 — Thin, stretchy skin -- like that of a pig or human -- significantly lessens the underlying damage that occurs when it's punctured. Pig skin even outperforms synthetic materials that are designed ...