Development of measures to enhance the productivity and to mitigate the methane emissions from dairy cows in drylands

8% to 18% of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions due to anthropogenic activities are attributable to livestock farming. To reduce the GHG emissions from livestock farming, it is important to control the methane (CH4) produced by fermentation in the gastrointestinal tracts of ruminants. Such control will have the additional benefit of increasing livestock productivity through improved energy utilization.

We are studying feeding style (indoor feeding or grazing) and feed composition appropriate for dairy cows in terms of enhancement of productivity and mitigation of CH4 emissions, and the method to measure the CH4 emissions affordable in financially challenged regions.

We expect the method and recommended feed composition for cattle contribute to mitigation of overgrazing, which becomes serious in these regions, including drylands. We have verified the measuring method with laser-methane detector (LMD) in China. Now we are carrying out feeding experiments for indigenous dairy cows in Ethiopia to improve the milk yields as well as the CH4 emissions, using the LMD.

Principal Investigator: Nobuyuki Kobayashi (Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University)