Vaccines: Green Alternatives for Animal Health and Antimicrobial Reduction

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has escalated the quest for viable alternatives to antibiotics for animal health. Immunization has evolved as an effective and ecologically sound intervention to avoid infectious diseases, diminish the consumption of antibacterials, and work toward the general One Health objectives across the world. This chapter describes the essential role of vaccination in preventing major livestock and poultry diseases such as Newcastle disease, avian influenza, and foot-and-mouth disease, among others, that highly affect animal productivity as well as public health. It gives an insightful discussion on the types and mechanisms of vaccines as well as recent advances in technology, such as recombinant DNA vaccines, mRNA vaccines, thermostable formulations, and universal vaccines, targeting variable pathogens. Coinciding challenges discussed in the chapter include antigenic variation, cold chain constraints, and socioeconomic barriers to the uptake of calves among smallholder farmers. Improving the delivery of vaccines through measures such as mobile clinics, digital tools, and community-based animal health workers is elaborated here with the success stories from Africa and Asia. The priority is given to the role of interdisciplinary cooperation, policy frameworks, and global initiatives in increasing access to vaccines on equal terms and long-term sustainability. Bringing scientific innovation and practical models together can ensure that vaccination can be seen as a keystone in decreasing antibiotic dependence and increasing food security and animal well-being, coupled with environmental health.