engleski

Breeding and technology possibilities for mitigating the environmental footprint of ruminants

In general, livestock production is the world’s largest user of land resources and cosequently engages very closely with landscape management, biodiversity, soil conservation etc. Livestock also has a big impact on global climate change, especially ruminant animals as a source of greenhouse gases (GHG ; carbon-dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) what makes them one of the major contributors to climate change. Given the likely continued strong growth in global demand for livestock products (particularly meat and milk) and the reliance of many people on livestock for their livelihoods, there is an urgent need to enhance the efficiency of natural-resource use in the ruminant sector and to reduce the environmental footprint of ruminant livestock. Given better management practices, the livestock sector can reduce its footprint and contribute substantially to climate change mitigation. The aim of this thesis is to define the most important impacts ruminant livestock production has on the environment (with respect to land degradation, water depletion, air pollution and negative impacts on biodiversity). Also, the aim of this thesis is to identify and explain breeding, nutritional and management strategies for mitigating the environmental footprint of ruminant livestock, i.e. improving productivity and feed efficiency in animals, reducing wastage, better health, better fertility and longevity, selection for low methane output, dietary additives and ingredients, biological extracts and probiotics, improving pasture management practices, etc.

metjane, nitrous oxide, greenhouse gases, enteric fermentation

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