Methane production and estimation from livestock husbandry: A mechanistic understanding and emerging mitigation options

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 709; p. 136135
• Main Authors: Kumari, Shilpi, Fagodiya, R.K., Hiloidhari, Moonmoon, Dahiya, R.P., Kumar, Amit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.03.2020
• Subjects: Carbon Pricing; CH4 mitigation; Climate change; Enteric methane emission; Livestock; Climate change; Livestock; Carbon Pricing; Enteric methane emission; CH4 mitigation; CH mitigation
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136135

Globally, livestock is an important contributor to methane (CH4) emissions. This paper reviewed the various CH4 measurement and estimation techniques and mitigation approaches for the livestock sector. Two approaches for enteric livestock CH4 emission estimation are the top-down and bottom-up. The combination of both could further improve our understanding of enteric CH4 emission and possible mitigation measures. We discuss three mitigation approaches: reducing emissions, avoiding emissions, and enhancing the removal of emissions from livestock. Dietary management, livestock management, and breeding management are viable reducing emissions pathways. Dietary manipulation is easily applicable and can bring an immediate response. Economic incentive policies can help the livestock farmers to opt for diet, breeding, and livestock management mitigation approaches. Carbon pricing creates a better option to achieve reduction targets in a given period. A combination of carbon pricing, feeding management, breeding management, and livestock management is more feasible and sustainable CH4 emissions mitigation strategy rather than a single approach. [Display omitted] •Dietary management is the immediate CH4 emission mitigation option at farm level•Breeding and livestock management is effective for long run•Simulation based CH4 emissions modeling is efficient and yield better result•Mixed crop-livestock farming serve as an important CH4 mitigation measures•Cap-and-Trade programme, Green Live Stock Fund require more policy support to mitigate CH4 from livestock sector