Welcome to The Animal Echo

The Animal Echo is WOAH’s knowledge-sharing space designed to foster dialogue on the global challenges facing society today, through the lens of animal health. It publishes information, research findings and insights into the state and impact of animal health and welfare across the world.

The Animal Echo_Knowledge sharing for animal health_group of African veterinarian students observing a horse
Recent articles about Global Health Security

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

11/28/25

9min read

Engaging Animal Health and Veterinary Stakeholders with the Biological Weapons Convention

Successful collaboration between the BWC and animal health communities requires shared understanding of these risks and priorities. Veterinary professionals are often the first to detect, report and investigate suspicious animal disease outbreaks at regional or national levels, making their engagement essential. BWC States Parties are encouraged to submit annual confidence-building measures (CBMs) on national biological activities, some of which relate directly to animal health

Sam Pritchard

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

11/24/25

8min read

Health Risks of Consuming Animals that Died Naturally

Global health security is increasingly threatened by practices that compromise the integrity of food safety, public health and veterinary standards. One such practice, often overlooked yet deeply consequential, is the consumption and commercial resale of animals that died naturally without bloodletting, particularly poultry.

Comfort John

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

10/28/25

9min read

Advancing One Health Security Through Animal Waste Surveillance and Wildmeat Value Chains

This article explores two emerging pathways: animal waste surveillance and underrepresented threats of wildmeat value chains. Studies led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) demonstrate how abattoir waste can serve as low-cost, scalable surveillance tools, generating early warning for zoonotic threats and antimicrobial resistance. Leveraging tools such as genomics, the case study on RVF shows how genomic and ecological monitoring in livestock reveal patterns that allow preventive action before outbreaks escalate.

Ekta Patel

data protection_animals_data scientist in a farm with cattle

Blogpost

Global Health Security

10/22/25

4min read

Why data protection is key to global animal health security

Protecting animal health data starts with awareness. Cybersecurity expert, Pascaline Brossard explains why.

 Pascaline Bossard

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

10/16/25

7min read

From Fiction to Reality: The Threat of Agro-Terrorism

Daniel Donachie

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

09/19/25

10min read

Veterinary Diagnostics: The First Line of Defence Against Human Infectious Diseases

Agatha Ugboma

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

09/19/25

8min read

Veterinary Services: Guardians Against Biological Weapons

Keith Hamilton

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

11/28/25

9min read

Engaging Animal Health and Veterinary Stakeholders with the Biological Weapons Convention

Successful collaboration between the BWC and animal health communities requires shared understanding of these risks and priorities. Veterinary professionals are often the first to detect, report and investigate suspicious animal disease outbreaks at regional or national levels, making their engagement essential. BWC States Parties are encouraged to submit annual confidence-building measures (CBMs) on national biological activities, some of which relate directly to animal health

Sam Pritchard

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

11/24/25

8min read

Health Risks of Consuming Animals that Died Naturally

Global health security is increasingly threatened by practices that compromise the integrity of food safety, public health and veterinary standards. One such practice, often overlooked yet deeply consequential, is the consumption and commercial resale of animals that died naturally without bloodletting, particularly poultry.

Comfort John

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

10/28/25

9min read

Advancing One Health Security Through Animal Waste Surveillance and Wildmeat Value Chains

This article explores two emerging pathways: animal waste surveillance and underrepresented threats of wildmeat value chains. Studies led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) demonstrate how abattoir waste can serve as low-cost, scalable surveillance tools, generating early warning for zoonotic threats and antimicrobial resistance. Leveraging tools such as genomics, the case study on RVF shows how genomic and ecological monitoring in livestock reveal patterns that allow preventive action before outbreaks escalate.

Ekta Patel

data protection_animals_data scientist in a farm with cattle

Blogpost

Global Health Security

10/22/25

4min read

Why data protection is key to global animal health security

Protecting animal health data starts with awareness. Cybersecurity expert, Pascaline Brossard explains why.

 Pascaline Bossard

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

10/16/25

7min read

From Fiction to Reality: The Threat of Agro-Terrorism

Daniel Donachie

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

09/19/25

10min read

Veterinary Diagnostics: The First Line of Defence Against Human Infectious Diseases

Agatha Ugboma

Sci-Tech

Global Health Security

09/19/25

8min read

Veterinary Services: Guardians Against Biological Weapons

Keith Hamilton

View more articles
Recent articles about Artificial Intelligence

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

09/03/25

13min read

Smart Text, Stronger Systems: Large Language Models for the Performance of Veterinary Services

Jennifer Lasley

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

09/03/25

10min read

Transforming Global Animal Health Information Systems: Towards Trusted, AI-Assisted Reporting

Natalja Lambergeon

Blogpost

Artificial Intelligence

08/07/25

5min read

Artificial Intelligence in aquaculture: Between Promise, Practice and the questions that remain 

AI is reshaping aquaculture but it’s no one-size-fits-all fix. With its promise comes a need for reflection. Discover more.

Dr. Md. Tanvir Rahman

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/30/25

10min read

Balancing AI Innovation with Responsible Governance

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) plays a critical role in collecting, managing and disseminating extensive animal health data. To manage this data, the Organisation is pioneering the Data Architecture Project (DAP), which will establish a central data repository, enabling integration and connectivity across all WOAH datasets.

Amy Hammond

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/29/25

9min read

Breeding for Resilience: Interpreting Animal Behaviour With Machine Learning

Smallholder livestock systems face increasing challenges due to climate variability, particularly heat stress, which impacts animal health, welfare and productivity. Traditional productivity measurements, such as milk yield or growth rate, are labour-intensive, costly and fail to capture an animal’s overall adaptability. In response, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are pioneering a novel phenotyping approach using low-cost sensors, video analysis and artificial intelligence (AI).

Stephen Kemp

artificial intelligence_the use of artificial intelligence in animal care

Blogpost

Artificial Intelligence

07/04/25

7min read

Smart Barns, Digital Kennels: How artificial intelligence is quietly revolutionising animal care

What if your barn could spot an illness before you do? AI is quietly transforming how we care for animals. Discover how.

Santiago Alonso Sousa

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/02/25

13min read

From Reactive to Predictive Care: A Conversation on AI and Animal Health

Four experts reveal how AI is transforming disease surveillance and veterinary practice In a remote region of California, a wildlife rehabilitation centre uploads routine clinical notes about an injured eagle showing signs of neurological symptoms. Within hours, an AI system flags this case alongside similar reports from across the State, detecting an unusual pattern that might signal an emerging disease outbreak—weeks before traditional surveillance methods would notice.

Claude AI

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

09/03/25

13min read

Smart Text, Stronger Systems: Large Language Models for the Performance of Veterinary Services

Jennifer Lasley

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

09/03/25

10min read

Transforming Global Animal Health Information Systems: Towards Trusted, AI-Assisted Reporting

Natalja Lambergeon

Blogpost

Artificial Intelligence

08/07/25

5min read

Artificial Intelligence in aquaculture: Between Promise, Practice and the questions that remain 

AI is reshaping aquaculture but it’s no one-size-fits-all fix. With its promise comes a need for reflection. Discover more.

Dr. Md. Tanvir Rahman

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/30/25

10min read

Balancing AI Innovation with Responsible Governance

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) plays a critical role in collecting, managing and disseminating extensive animal health data. To manage this data, the Organisation is pioneering the Data Architecture Project (DAP), which will establish a central data repository, enabling integration and connectivity across all WOAH datasets.

Amy Hammond

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/29/25

9min read

Breeding for Resilience: Interpreting Animal Behaviour With Machine Learning

Smallholder livestock systems face increasing challenges due to climate variability, particularly heat stress, which impacts animal health, welfare and productivity. Traditional productivity measurements, such as milk yield or growth rate, are labour-intensive, costly and fail to capture an animal’s overall adaptability. In response, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are pioneering a novel phenotyping approach using low-cost sensors, video analysis and artificial intelligence (AI).

Stephen Kemp

artificial intelligence_the use of artificial intelligence in animal care

Blogpost

Artificial Intelligence

07/04/25

7min read

Smart Barns, Digital Kennels: How artificial intelligence is quietly revolutionising animal care

What if your barn could spot an illness before you do? AI is quietly transforming how we care for animals. Discover how.

Santiago Alonso Sousa

Sci-Tech

Artificial Intelligence

07/02/25

13min read

From Reactive to Predictive Care: A Conversation on AI and Animal Health

Four experts reveal how AI is transforming disease surveillance and veterinary practice In a remote region of California, a wildlife rehabilitation centre uploads routine clinical notes about an injured eagle showing signs of neurological symptoms. Within hours, an AI system flags this case alongside similar reports from across the State, detecting an unusual pattern that might signal an emerging disease outbreak—weeks before traditional surveillance methods would notice.

Claude AI

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Discover why animal health is everyone’s health.

antimicrobial use in animals_a scientist in a laboratory with a microscope

Blogpost

Animal health

11/21/25

5min read

Rethinking antibiotic use: Why the global debate misses low-and-middle-income countries’ realities

Antibiotic use in livestock looks different in LMICs where access, quality, and farmer support shape the real story. Find out more.

Arshnee Moodley

RAM_a veterinary medicine student observing cattle in the field

Blogpost

Animal health

11/18/25

5min read

How global youth are driving meaningful change against AMR

From creating educational tools to engaging communities, two veterinarians share how they are working to tackle the silent pandemic – antimicrobial resistance.

Karina Khatic

data protection_animals_data scientist in a farm with cattle

Blogpost

Global Health Security

10/22/25

4min read

Why data protection is key to global animal health security

Protecting animal health data starts with awareness. Cybersecurity expert, Pascaline Brossard explains why.

 Pascaline Bossard

One Risk training_Africa

Blogpost

Animal health

10/16/25

6min read

One Risk: Strengthening Regional Risk Modelling Capacity and Collaboration

Discover how the One Risk programme is empowering professionals to tackle One Health challenges across West and Central Africa.

Solenne Costard

animal health data HPAI

Blogpost

Animal health

10/08/25

4min read

Harnessing animal health data to strengthen global disease surveillance

Behind every healthy animal is a story told by data. Discover how deeper insights into animal health data can help strengthen global health security.

Dr Navneet Dhand

World Rabies Day 2025_Namibia oral vaccines

Blogpost

Animal health

09/26/25

6min read

How Namibia is working toward eliminating rabies with oral rabies vaccines

This World Rabies Day, discover how Namibia’s oral vaccines bring hope to communities working to end dog-mediated rabies.

Dr. Tenzin Tenzin

Lumpy Skin Disease reaches Italy

Blogpost

Animal health

09/23/25

3min read

Lumpy Skin Disease reaches Italy: Insights from the Delegate

In 2025, Italy faces its first-ever outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease. WOAH Delegate for Italy explains the risks, response, and the measures underway.

Ugo Della Marta

antimicrobial use in animals_a scientist in a laboratory with a microscope

Blogpost

Animal health

11/21/25

5min read

Rethinking antibiotic use: Why the global debate misses low-and-middle-income countries’ realities

Antibiotic use in livestock looks different in LMICs where access, quality, and farmer support shape the real story. Find out more.

Arshnee Moodley

RAM_a veterinary medicine student observing cattle in the field

Blogpost

Animal health

11/18/25

5min read

How global youth are driving meaningful change against AMR

From creating educational tools to engaging communities, two veterinarians share how they are working to tackle the silent pandemic – antimicrobial resistance.

Karina Khatic

data protection_animals_data scientist in a farm with cattle

Blogpost

Global Health Security

10/22/25

4min read

Why data protection is key to global animal health security

Protecting animal health data starts with awareness. Cybersecurity expert, Pascaline Brossard explains why.

 Pascaline Bossard

One Risk training_Africa

Blogpost

Animal health

10/16/25

6min read

One Risk: Strengthening Regional Risk Modelling Capacity and Collaboration

Discover how the One Risk programme is empowering professionals to tackle One Health challenges across West and Central Africa.

Solenne Costard

animal health data HPAI

Blogpost

Animal health

10/08/25

4min read

Harnessing animal health data to strengthen global disease surveillance

Behind every healthy animal is a story told by data. Discover how deeper insights into animal health data can help strengthen global health security.

Dr Navneet Dhand

World Rabies Day 2025_Namibia oral vaccines

Blogpost

Animal health

09/26/25

6min read

How Namibia is working toward eliminating rabies with oral rabies vaccines

This World Rabies Day, discover how Namibia’s oral vaccines bring hope to communities working to end dog-mediated rabies.

Dr. Tenzin Tenzin

Lumpy Skin Disease reaches Italy

Blogpost

Animal health

09/23/25

3min read

Lumpy Skin Disease reaches Italy: Insights from the Delegate

In 2025, Italy faces its first-ever outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease. WOAH Delegate for Italy explains the risks, response, and the measures underway.

Ugo Della Marta

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Animal health

Artificial Intelligence

Biosecurity

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Gender

Global Health Security

Veterinary Workforce

Wildlife