FEEDING STRATEGIES TO

MITIGATE METHANE EMISSION

FROM RUMINANTS

Pradeep Kumar Malik

Assistant Professor (Animal Nutrition)
Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari
Green house gases (GHG,s)
Global warming and stratospheric ozone
depletion have drawn world wide attention
(IPCC, 1996).

CO2, CH4, N2O, SF6 and HFCl2 are the major

green house gases.

CO2, CH4 and N2O are the major green house

gases from agriculture system include
livestock sector.

CH4 is 40-60 times more potent in heat

trapping
(Khan, 2001).
 Greenhouse Effect
Earth’s atmosphere is slightly
warmer than what it should be
due to direct solar heating
because of a mild case of
greenhouse effect…
The ground is heated by
visible and (some) infrared
light from the Sun.
The heated surface emits
infrared light, which is
absorbed by the green house
gases and re-emit
consequently temperature of
the earth surface increase
Consequences of increase in green house
gases
Melting of ice

Rise in sea level

Uneven distribution of rain lead to flood and drought situation

Catarcts

Retinal degenration

Skin cancer

Impaired immune system

Why CH4 is on priority?
Because
It is more potent than CO2
Due to its shorted half life (about
10yrs)

Represents a loss of dietary energy

(6-12% of GE)

Its energy value is about 23.4 Kcal/g

CH4 through Time
 Sources of methane in
Wetlands
environment
Oceans
Hydrates
Wild ruminants
Termites
+
Total : 30% (~100- Anthropogenic Sources
200 TgCH4/year)

Agriculture (ruminants)
Waste disposal
Biomass burning
Rice paddies +
Total : 70%
 Population scenario of major methane
emitters in India
Species Population
(Million)
Cattle 197
Buffalo 98
Goat 124
Sheep 59
7th Livestock census, GOI

India possess 1/5th of livestock population which seems to be responsible

for high methane emission.
Total livestock- 385 million
Total poultry- 389 million
Methane emission from livestock
in Indian Scenario
Species CH4 (Tg/y) CH4(g/d/head)

Cattle 5.50 76.74

Buffalo 2.80 97.0
Sheep 0.19 11.63
Goat 0.40 10.14
(Singh, 1998)
Various agencies reported around 7-12Tg methane in India from
livesatock on annual basis
 Feed and fodder situation in
India
Type Availability Deficit (%)
(MT)
Dry fodder 393 11
Green fodder 126 35

concentrate 35 28
On the whole a total of 19% deficit against the requirement

According to one estimate, 27% of TDN and 50% of DCP is deficient

 Methanogenesis
H2, formate and acetate are the
potential substrate for the methane
production in ruminants.

Large amount of NADH2 produced

during various biochemical reactions
in the rumen.

It gets oxidized to the NAD+ by

the removal of H2, which is taken
up by the methanogens to produce
Methane.

Protozoa cause interspecies H2 transfer in the rumen

Thus, methane in the rumen act as a H2 sink

for the complete reduction an alternate H2 acceptor should be present
Indirect calorimetery
Ventilated hood technique
Ventilated flow method with face
mask
In vitro gas production technique
Factors affecting methane emission from
ruminants
Diet and its composition
Crop residues based diet
Grain based diet
Supplementation of green fodder
Type of the green forage

Feed processing
Grinding and pelleting increase
passage rate
Decrease energy loss
Contd…
Level of intake

Feeding frequency

Animal species
Buffalo produce more than cattle

Sheep produce more than goat

Strategies for mitigation of methane
emission from ruminants
Halogenated methane analogues
Carbo tetrachloride, chloral hydrate, methyl
chloride etc. (Bauchop, 1967).
Form complexes with corrinoid compounds
and inhibit methyl group transfers.

Limitations
Depresses feed intake
Transient effect
Toxicity of inhibitor
Cost of the chemical
Dietary lipid
Decrease methane emission due to
provide an alternate electron receptor.

It also has anti-protozoal property.

Decrease depend on the nature and

amount of lipid.

Adverse effect on fibre digestibility.

Ionophores
Generally used as feed additives
Rumenesin, monensin, lasalocid etc.

Inhibit activity of H2 productin bacteria

Altered VFA pattern in the rumen

Effect is transient

High cost of ionophores

Depressed feed intake

 Saponins
A glycoside, secondary metabolite

Two types- steroid and triterpenoid

Water solubly glycone moiety and

Lipid solubly aglycone moiety as sapogenin

Lower surface tension

Negatively correlated with fibre content of the

plant
Saponins are known for its methane reducing
action (Malik and Singhal, 2009)

Saponins inhibition for methane is not direct

Act through antiprotozoal action

H2 availability to methanogens is hampered

(Malik and Singhal, 2010)

Berseem and lucerne, commonly grown

leguminous fodder are also potent source of
saponins.

Need to explore the newer feeds and herbs rich in

saponins and may be useful in tackling the
Tannin and methane emission
Tannin rich feeds lower the methane emission.

Tannin rich legume Calliandra calothyrsus

decrease methane emission by 15% in goat
(Hess, 2007).

Tannin extract is quite effective than the tannin

in plant.

Shift in fermentation pattern

More research should be carried out to explore

the effect on methanogenesis.
 Efficacy of various methods for
reducing methane emission
Method Extent of reduction
Concentrate 20-32
Deficient nutrient 8-23
Green fodder 11-27
Ionophore 14-20
UMMB 10-11
Saponins 20-30
(Singh, 2005)
Reduction in methane emission from ruminants can be
achieved by reduction/killing the animals, which is
quite unlikely in India due to the role played by the
animals in our socio-economic conditions. Livestock
proves their worth in different ways by consuming crop
residues whose disposal will be more detrimental for
the environment. Therefore, we have to devise some
strategies which is animal friendly and economically
feasible to the stockholders.
Dietary strategies are seems to be good option
but in India, the main constraint is the area under
fodder production in addition to ever increasing
human population.
Thus, we should also look into the emerging
biological approaches for controlling
methanogens and methane in rumen