Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Ruminants : Minireview
2012
Kim, E.J., Kyungpook National University, Sangju, Republic of Korea
It has been reported that world population continues to increase so that a matter of food security can be a world-wide problem for mankind. An anticipated rise in world population of 30% and the subsequent increased demand for food brings with it challenges in terms of global resource usage and food security. However, ruminant livestock production and consumption make a large contribution to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which can be attributable to food production. Given the association between GHG and climate change, this is clearly of great concern to the livestock industry worldwide. Nevertheless, ruminant livestock also play an important role in global food security as they can convert the plant cell wall materials and non-protein nitrogen compounds, found widely in plants but indigestible to all monogastric animals including man, into high value proteins for human consumption. Much effort has been made to maximize animal production, feed conversion ratio, and to improve animal breeding in ruminant agriculture. In addition improving feed formulation techniques, developing chemical additives, plant extracts, and new plant varieties for grazing have been tested. Future ruminant production systems will need to capitalize on important benefits of ruminants. It is therefore suggested that ruminant agriculture has a key role to play in maintaining and enhancing provision of quality proteins and essential nutrients for human being but the challenge of reducing GHG emissions, and methane in particular, needs to be successfully addressed.
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