SDG Initiatives

In livestock production to date, various technological developments and improvements have been made with the main objective of improving productivity and quality. Furthermore, with the introduction of ICT and AI, productivity has clearly improved. However, in recent years, as interest in the SDGs and the environment has grown both domestically and internationally, and is permeating all industries as an important code of conduct, there is a strong need to reduce the environmental impact of livestock production, and to shift to sustainable use of natural capital and production in harmony with the environment. In other words, a shift to livestock production methods that ensure both productivity and sustainability.

In current pasture production, pesticides are sprayed over the entire pasture area when weeds increase, but a lot of pesticides are needed to spray weed-free areas as well. If pesticides could be applied only to areas where weeds are growing, the amount of pesticides used could be greatly reduced. Also, by cutting only the weeds instead of spraying pesticides, organic farming without the use of pesticides can be realized.

In current pasture production, pesticides are sprayed over the entire pasture area when weeds increase, but a lot of pesticides are needed to spray weed-free areas as well. If pesticides could be applied only to areas where weeds are growing, the amount of pesticides used could be greatly reduced. Also, by cutting only the weeds instead of spraying pesticides, organic farming without the use of pesticides can be realized.

オゾンは，酸化能力，殺菌能力，有機物の分解能力に優れ，様々な産業に利活用されています。しかし，専用の施設を必要とするなど，取り扱いが難しいことが難点です．そのような状況において，近年，オゾンを超微細気泡（ナノバブル）化する実用的な技術が開発されました。オゾンをナノバブル化することにより，オゾンの取り扱いが容易になり，高濃度のオゾンを安全に水中に導入することが可能になりました。

国内においても食用昆虫を用いたスナック菓子など食品開発が近年進められています。

―北里大学獣医学部付属フィールドサイエンスセンター八雲牧場で農医連携教育―

AS MEASURES TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN OF LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, THE REPORT PRESENTS ISSUES AND DIRECTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, AND CLEARLY STATES THE NEED FOR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE LABOR-SAVING FEEDING MANAGEMENT AND REDUCTION OF ACCIDENT RATES THROUGH THE USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICT), AND THE SPREAD OF LABOR-SAVING AND EFFICIENT FEEDING MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES THROUGH GRAZING AND OTHER MEANS.

函館市から車で約１時間。八雲町にある北里大学獣医学部附属フィールドサイエンスセンター八雲牧場では、自給飼料だけで牛を育てています。簡単に言うと、産まれてすぐはお母さん牛のミルクで育ち、その後出荷されるまでの約30か月間、化学肥料、農薬や除草剤を一切使用しない広大な牧場内の草だけで育ちます。“牛たちの糞尿は草地へ還元され、そこから芽生えた牧草のみで牛を育てる”。これは全国的にも非常に珍しい取り組みです。