Technological Innovations in Ruminant Farming

Cattle, sheep, and goats have long been invaluable to world food systems, supplying important nutrients in terms of milk and meat, supporting innumerable livelihoods, and adding agricultural sustainability through such valuable by-products as manure. This historical significance is highlighted in this central position in human civilisation (FAO, 2021). Nevertheless, the contemporary world is posing a serious challenge to the conventional ruminant livestock production. The growing international population, changing lifestyles of consumers and the rapid urbanization are creating a growing pressure in the need of quality and dependable livestock products. At the same time, such critical environmental issues as greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution are the challenges faced by the industry (Gerber et al., 2013). The necessity to improve the welfare of animals and guarantee the food security in the long run makes matters even more complex, and the traditional approaches become less than adequate to address these complex needs (Roos et al., 2017).