ONE Health Live

Sarah Muirhead
  • 0.0 (0)
  • NEWS COMMENTARY

Examining the issues of importance to animals, humans and the environment to help those across the food production system better understand the issues from a science-based perspective.

  1. APR 29

    'Forever chemicals' create supply chain concern

    "Forever chemicals" are not just a headline, they are a supply chain problem. We sit down with Dr Jerry Shurson from the University of Minnesota to trace how PFAS contamination can start in everyday products and industrial uses, then travel through air and drinking water into soil, crops, livestock feed, and the food we rely on. We break down what PFAS are, why they persist for so long, and why scientists struggle to answer the question everyone asks: “What, if any, level is safe?”  With more than 15,000 PFAS compounds in circulation and limited toxicity data for many of them, setting clear dietary guidelines and food safety thresholds becomes incredibly hard. We also explore the One Health stakes, including the links to neurological issues, reproductive harm, and cancers that researchers have associated with PFAS exposure. A major theme is the circular bioeconomy. Recycling nutrients through manure, compost, and sewage biosolids can be good for sustainability, but it can also recirculate PFAS back into soils where chemicals can accumulate and enter plants and animal-derived foods like meat, milk, and eggs. We talk through what can actually be done today, from water sampling and filtration options like reverse osmosis and activated carbon to asking manufacturers about PFAS use, and why meaningful progress requires coordinated global action plus stronger research funding and regulation. If this helped you see PFAS differently, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the conversation.

    22 min

  2. APR 7

    Red meat and global nutrition

    Anemia, food security, sustainability, trade, and the future of protein are not separate conversations. They collide at the dinner plate, especially in countries where nutrition is not guaranteed and where families buy what is affordable, not what is trendy. We sit down with Dan Halstrom, President and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, to get specific about what beef, pork, and lamb contribute to human health and why education around nutrient density still matters. We talk about complete protein and the real-world role of iron and zinc, then move into a concrete example from developing markets: using affordable beef liver as a “center of the plate” option to help fight iron deficiency and anemia. From there, we unpack the trade mechanics that shape availability and price. Dan explains why imports and exports work as a single system, including how lean trim imports support America’s huge ground beef demand while exports create value by moving a wider range of cuts and variety meats to the markets that want them. Global population growth toward 10 billion and the rise of a global middle class raise the stakes. Dan shares how market diversification reduces risk, why long-term relationship building turned Mexico into a powerhouse market, and how newer bets like Colombia and Central America grew through deliberate investment. We also look at sustainability through the lens of productivity, quality assurance programs like PQA Plus and BQA, and the US track record on food safety as the foundation for global trust. If you care about global nutrition, meat exports, sustainable beef and pork production, and science-based food policy, hit subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the nutrition and trade link surprised you most?

    22 min

  3. JAN 29

    Shaping the poultry industry's next chapter

    The ground beneath global poultry is shifting, and not just inside the barn. Fresh from the International Poultry Council meeting in Atlanta, we unpack how geopolitical tension, a fragmenting trade order, and transboundary diseases like avian influenza are rewriting the playbook for a sector that feeds billions. Joined by Richard Griffiths, CEO of the British Poultry Council and new IPC president, we explore what leadership looks like when the old rules no longer guarantee market access, predictability, or policy certainty. We dig into the realities behind food security, antimicrobial resistance, and biosecurity, connecting them through the One Health lens that links animal health, human well-being, and environmental stewardship. Richard explains why consistency and standardization made poultry a global success story—and how the next chapter will require a stronger, more credible industry voice with institutions like FAO and WOAH. We talk candidly about trade risk, confidence, and how to keep buyers and regulators aligned around science-based solutions that protect safety and keep protein affordable. AI takes center stage as both opportunity and responsibility. From barn-level data that improves welfare and efficiency to scenario modeling that helps policymakers stress-test decisions, we frame AI as a tool to inform human judgment, not replace it. The conversation hits on data quality, governance, and the big goal: use technology to reduce bad decisions while preserving accountability. With IPC's Belfast 2027 meeting on the horizon, we outline a practical 15‑month agenda focused on trade resilience, avian influenza preparedness, and collaborative frameworks that turn uncertainty into progress. If you care about resilient supply chains, smart policy, and a secure protein future, you’ll find clear insights and next steps here. Subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review to join the conversation.

    14 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    Breaking the lice lifecycle: Timing, treatment and total coverage

    Winter arrives, coats thicken, and lice populations tend to explode—quietly cutting gains, damaging hides, and even causing anemia. We sit down with Thach Winslow DVM, a veteran beef cattle veterinarian and technical consultant, to map out a clear, workable plan for winter lice control that protects herd health and the bottom line. We start by breaking down how lice survive summer heat in protected areas and why they surge as cattle “hair up.” Dr. Winslow explains the difference between chewing lice that irritate skin and sucking lice that draw blood and can debilitate animals, and he quantifies the real costs: lost weight, facility damage from rubbing, and downgraded hides. From there, we tackle strategy. You’ll hear why early treatment sets you up for a rebound, what the old two-pass system got right and wrong, and how modern options that target both adults and eggs can deliver season-long control—if you hit the window when winter truly settles in. Application makes or breaks success. We share the exact placement from forehead to tailhead, why a stream nozzle beats a shower pattern, and how to get product onto the hide where lice live. Miss one animal and you risk reseeding your entire herd, so we cover simple checks to avoid costly do-overs. We also address real-world constraints: using temporary knockdowns when processing comes early, planning a return visit for the definitive treatment, and troubleshooting re-emergence without jumping to resistance. If winter lice have ever blindsided your herd, this conversation gives you a plan to act with confidence. Treat late, treat right, and treat every head. If you find this helpful, follow the show, share it with a neighbor, and leave a quick review so more producers can dial in their winter health protocols.

    16 min

  5. 11/25/2025

    Rethinking Avian Influenza risk: From biosecurity to vaccination and fair trade

    Hunger rises fastest when good intentions collide with bad rules. We sit down with Brazil’s poultry leader, Ricardo Santin, to unpack how a country at the heart of global protein supplies is navigating animal diseases, as avian influenza; biosecurity; vaccination, and fair trade—without pricing families out of a meal. Ricardo shares data on Brazil’s production scale in chicken, pork, and eggs, then walks us through the real-world costs of blanket trade bans. The science is clear: properly handled and cooked meat doesn’t spread avian influenza, yet many markets still shut their doors, driving up prices for the poorest consumers. We dig into One Health thinking—protecting animals, people, and the environment together—and why biosecurity remains the first line of defense. When diseases become endemic, vaccination matters, but markets have to recognize it. Ricardo makes the case for extending regionalization, zoning, and compartmentalization to vaccinated areas just as we do for outbreak zones. That shift protects flocks while keeping protein affordable, and it secures access to genetic material that low-income countries rely on to sustain their poultry sectors. Along the way, we explore the roles of WOAH, FAO, and national authorities in turning science-based standards into consistent, fair trade practices. If you care about global food security, this conversation offers a pragmatic playbook: align policy with evidence, reward prevention, and design rules that keep safe food moving. We close with a simple principle that doubles as a challenge to policymakers and industry alike: There should be no borders for food. If this resonated, share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you never miss a candid look at where animal health meets our dinner tables. Your co-hosts for ONE Health Live are Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs and Dennis Erpelding of Global Farm View.

    33 min

  6. 10/30/2025

    Smart preweaning, conditioning gets calves off to right start

    Calves don’t read the playbook, so we wrote one that actually works on the ground. We brought in Dr. Jeremi Wurtz, a beef cattle technical consultant and veterinarian with Elanco, to map out a clean, science-first path from the first sip of colostrum to a calm, productive post‑weaning period. The focus is simple: reduce stress, build immunity, and protect gains with choices that pay back in healthier calves and better margins. We start where lifetime health really begins—colostrum. You’ll hear why poor passive transfer can multiply BRD risk and how that early immunity shapes everything that follows. From there, we get practical with low-stress weaning: fence-line or two-step approaches, gentle handling that keeps cattle thinking instead of reacting, and the small facility tweaks that make processing days smooth. Then we stack a smart vaccine plan on top, dialing in timing so calves get a priming dose before separation and a booster after they settle.  Nutrition and preconditioning take center stage as we talk bunk training, water access, and the role of ionophores like Rumensin in boosting average daily gain, feed efficiency, and coccidia control. If you’re developing heifers, you’ll learn how small efficiency gains bring more heifers into puberty earlier, improving conception rates and lifetime productivity. If you’re shipping steers to a feedlot, we outline how to hit intake fast and hold health steady to lower cost of gain. Finally, we dig into parasite control with real numbers.

    13 min

  7. 10/09/2025

    One Health: Stronger herds, safer world

    Disease keeps moving faster than our systems, but prevention can win if we line up science, policy, and delivery. We sit down with HealthforAnimals’ executive director Carel du Marchie Sarvaas to unpack what the global animal health industry is seeing on the front lines—from avian influenza behaving like an annual wrecking ball to the quiet progress of antimicrobial stewardship that rarely makes headlines. The throughline is simple and urgent: healthier herds and flocks mean steadier food supplies, lower emissions, and less pressure on hospitals, yet animal health receives a tiny sliver of funding compared to its impact. We pull back the curtain on why vaccines for HPAI remain underused despite proven options: fears of export bans, uneven regulation across borders, cold-chain gaps, and the hard math faced by smallholders. Then we dig into what would actually change outcomes—harmonized trade rules that recognize vaccination, targeted financing and delivery support, and agile regulation that keeps pace with new biologics and diagnostics. Along the way, we explore the AMR Roadmap’s 25 commitments, the data behind falling antibiotic use in many countries, and how new vaccines and diagnostics are helping shift from blanket use to precision stewardship. Zooming out, we examine how the quadripartite (FAO, WHO, WOAH, UNEP) is raising the One Health bar while national silos still slow real-world coordination. We talk practical steps: shared metrics across ministries, reliance and data-sharing among regulators to cut duplication, and sector-wide principles that unify producers, vets, and industry around sustainable livestock. If you care about food security, climate-smart agriculture, trade resilience, and public health, this conversation lays out a path where prevention is the strategy, not the afterthought. If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone in your network who works in food or health, and leave a quick review with your top takeaway. Co-hosts of ONE Health Live are Sarah Muirhead of Feedstuffs and Dennis Erpelding of Global Farm View.

    23 min

  8. 09/25/2025

    Bridging academia and government for global health security

    Dr. Abhijit Mitra, Vice Chancellor at DUVASU, Mathura, and former Animal Husbandry Commissioner of India, brings decades of experience at the intersection of government policy and academic research to this fascinating conversation about One Health implementation in the world's most populous nation. The discussion reveals how India—home to 1.4 billion people and 300 million bovine —approaches the critical connection between animal, human, and environmental health. Dr. Mitra shares his success story of securing a $25 million grant from the G20 pandemic fund to strengthen animal health security, demonstrating how strategic government investment can protect global health. A recurring theme emerges throughout the conversation: the necessity of collaboration across sectors. "Nobody is safe if my neighbor is not safe," Dr. Mitra emphasizes, highlighting how COVID-19 reinforced this fundamental principle. He outlines how international organizations, national ministries, local governments, and communities must coordinate their efforts, with academia serving as "the bridge between government policies and field realities." Perhaps most fascinating is Dr. Mitra's description of India's unique food production landscape, where traditional and modern systems coexist. Small-scale farmers with just one or two animals collectively produce 26% of the world's milk, while high-tech operations employ artificial intelligence to manage millions of birds. This diversity creates both challenges and resilience in the face of disease threats. The conversation concludes with Dr. Mitra's five-point call to action: investment, collaboration, deliberation, sustainability, and awareness. These principles provide a roadmap for strengthening One Health approaches globally, ensuring we're better prepared for future health challenges that cross species boundaries. Subscribe to One Health Live for more thought-provoking conversations at the intersection of animal, human, and environmental health. Your ONE Health Live co-hosts are Sarah Muirhead and Dennis Erpelding of Global Farm View.

    30 min
See All (16)

About

Examining the issues of importance to animals, humans and the environment to help those across the food production system better understand the issues from a science-based perspective.

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Muirhead
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ONE Health Live
  • Show Website
    ONE Health Live