Bison once dominated the Great Plains but were nearly wiped out by hunters in the 1800s. Now scientists are learning that bison’s presence improves plant and wildlife diversity on the prairies.
Elk on the move in Yellowstone National Park.
NPS/Neal Herbert
What is the best way to conserve US national parks in a climate-altered future? One answer is connecting parks and other public lands, so plants and animals can shift their ranges.
Guinea-pig farming is popular in Peru and is an option for African farmers.
dubes sonego/Shutterstock
An Australian steer named Knickers broke the internet this week. The heavyweight Holstein-Friesian weighs as much as a small car, but genetically speaking he’s within the normal range (just).
Elephants in Kakoi village, Burunge Wildlife Management Area.
Credit: Alex Wunsch
Dairy cows are sensitive to heat, so farmers cool them down with sprinklers and fans. Researchers are designing better, more efficient systems to keep cows comfortable through hot California summers.
A Masai herdsman walks with his cattle in Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
(Shutterstock)
Lung plague attacks cattle causing disease and death, and more than US$60 million in losses annually in Africa. A new vaccine could prevent the disease.
The Flock Bronzewing is an inland species that is vulnerable to drought. Those vulnerabilities are heightened in an era of climate change and increased risks from feral predators.
Shutterstock
Australian wildlife can generally cope with drought, but they’re not prepared for the combination of people, introduced animals, and no water.
Livestock guardian dog breeds, such as Maremma, are often raised with and trained to consider themselves part of a livestock herd and so protect their herd from threats.
Shutterstock
Cultured meat comes from cells in a lab, not muscles in an animal. While regulatory and technological aspects are being worked out, less is known about whether people are up for eating this stuff.
Organic meat is grown without pesticides but there is little nutritional difference.
Jez Timms
Robotic milkers, video cameras and even sensors hidden inside the body will help this dairy farm figure out how to get the most milk from their cows.
A barn that can hold up to 4,800 hogs outside Berwick, Pa. The state says the farm is in compliance with regulations, but residents have gone to court seeking relief from odors.
AP Photo/Michael Rubinkam
Many people who live near large-scale livestock farms complain about noxious smells, air and water pollution and health risks. With little help from regulators, they are turning to lawsuits.
Cattle that are grass-fed, antibiotic- and growth hormone-free gather at a farm in Oregon in 2015. There’s a debate over whether antibiotic use in livestock makes germs more resistant to the drugs, and results in infections being passed on to humans who consume the meat.
(AP Photo/Don Ryan)
The use of antibiotics in raising livestock is complex. We could be moving towards a less-than-ideal result due to poor understanding, over-simplistic messaging and a rush for competitive advantage.
In choosing not to ban the live export trade even in the hottest northern months, the federal government is allowing animals to be put in conditions where they cannot possibly escape suffering.
Africa’s famous animal migrations are increasingly blocked by fences, erected by farmers to keep their livestock safe from disease. But a new approach aims to deliver healthy beef and healthy wildlife.