Day: March 25, 2010

UN admits flaw in report on meat and climate change

The UN has admitted a report linking livestock to global warming exaggerated the impact of eating meat on climate change. A 2006 study, Livestock’s Long Shadow, claimed meat production was responsible for 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions – more than transport. Its conclusions were heralded by campaigners urging consumers to eat less meat to save the planet. Among those calling for a reduction in global meat consumption is Sir Paul McCartney. However, one of the authors of the report has admitted an American scientist has identified a flaw in its comparison with the impact of

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Study Finds Racehorses Dying at Faster Rates

The first comprehensive analysis of thoroughbred injury data in the United States and Canada shows that racehorses die at the rate of 2.04 per 1,000 starts, a rate twice as deadly as in any other country. The figure was released on Tuesday by the Jockey Club, which compiled the data over a one-year period beginning Nov. 1, 2008. The information was submitted by 73 racetracks and accounted for 378,864 starts. A start is each time a horse competes in a race. The analysis was performed by Dr. Tim Parkin, a veterinarian and epidemiologist from the University of

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Purported vaccine-autism link worries U.K. pet owners

Some U.K. pet owners are urging the British Small Animal Veterinary Association to end the practice of yearly vaccinations over a concern that the shots could trigger autism in their dogs. The agency, however, remains adamant, saying annual vaccines are proved effective by scientific studies. In the U.S., AVMA acknowledges that annual booster shots can “increase the potential risk of post-vaccination adverse events,” according to this article. AOL News

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