ENTERIC METHANE PRODUCTION IN RUMINANTS: ITS EFFECT ON GLOBAL WARMING AND MITIGATION STRATEGIES-A REVIEW

Abstract

Anthropic activities produce around 2/3 share of the total methane emission in the world, with the livestock sector being the primary contributor. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, exhibiting a warming effect more than 21 times that of carbon dioxide, and is produced by microbes called methanogens during anaerobic fermentation. The release of methane from ruminants indicating a loss of feed energy that has the potential to elevate production. Economic and population growth will increase milk and meat demand, increasing CH4 production from the livestock sector. Various approaches including feed manipulation, supplementation of feed additives, management practices, genetic selection and vaccinations all were aimed at mitigating CH4 from the livestock sector. These measures change the composition of rumen and alter the working of methane-producing microbes. The addition of feed additives reduces the CH4 emission but human well-being limits their usage. Methane inhibitors, like those with a hydrogen sink property that has no adverse effects on rumen microbe populations, are considered ideal for reducing emissions. Research also shows that methane emission is a heritable and repeatable trait and that genomic and genetic traits present a considerable opportunity to minimize methane emissions from ruminants the accuracy of methane measurements is crucial and attention to background information in publications regarding measurement context and methods is necessary for comprehensive interpretation of results. Each method for measuring methane emissions from livestock has limitations tied to its original intent of use. Standardization within and between techniques, especially in respiration chambers, SF6 and Greenfeed Emission Monitoring System, can enhance result reliability. However, using these technologies beyond their intended purpose is risky, and extrapolating estimations may lead to unintended consequences. Combining different methods may offer the most comprehensive approach, but further research is needed to validate and compare individual methods, especially in wide-ranging production systems and to develop standardization protocols.