The Animal Production and Health Section of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture recognises that the trend towards intensification of livestock production in developing countries presents both opportunities and challenges. The potential opportunities are the flow-on benefits to the producers and local economy while the potential challenges are the flow-on costs to the environment, animal health and welfare. The intensification of livestock production can lead to higher levels of greenhouse gas emissions and a localisation or concentration of nutrients, which increases the risk of pollution of waterways, increased chemical and drug use to overcome disease transmission and put pressure on the livestock production systems.
