Enteric Methane Emissions and Abatement Approaches: A Review

Abstract

Production of enteric methane through microbial fermentation in ruminants has created attention, for its role as a greenhouse gas and loss of feed energy to the animal. The development and commitment to mitigate methane emissions are likely to influence the productivity of livestock systems, comprising animal nutrition. Curbing rumen methanogenesis is conceivable using advanced mitigation policies and their viability for practical applications are being researched around the world. It is possible to modify the microbial ecosystem of rumen to decrease the production of methane, but the manipulation of microbial components of the system has to be considered in an integrated way which differ in terms of viability, cost, and acceptance by end users. Therefore, their implementation should be based on the capacity to reduce methane emissions along with economic sustainability and improvement in animal performance. The present review highlights the enteric rumen methanogensis and strategies to mitigate the level of methane production.