mitigation of enteric methane emissions from ruminant animals
TRANSCRIPT
Mitigation of enteric methane emissions from ruminants:
the role of biotechnology
Henning Steinfeld, FAOCarolyn Opio, FAO
Rome, 17 February 2016
Presentation to the FAO International symposium on agricultural biotechnologies The role of agricultural biotechnologies in sustainable food systems and nutrition
ABOUT METHANE •Concentration of methane in the
atmosphere has increased by 150% in the last 260 years
•Potent greenhouse gas
Contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming
SOURCES OF METHANE
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN LIVESTOCKApplication of biotechnology to livestock production
Reproductive biotechnology
o Artificial inseminationo Conventional embryo transfer o In vitro embryo productiono Sexing of sperm and embryos o Cloning
Breeding and genetics
o Crossbreedingo Genetic selection o Transgenesiso DNA sequencing o [plant breeding for livestock feed]
Animal health o Disease diagnosiso Vaccine development
Nutrition and feed utilization
o Enhancing nutritive value of feedo Improving rumen fermentation process o Rumen manipulation
ANCIENT BIOTECHNOLOGY: THE DOMESTICATION OF RUMINANTS
•Domesticated (cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) and wild (bison, antelope, etc.).
•Originally developed as grazers/browsers, more recently have been adapted to mixed rations.
•Nutrition based on plant material that cannot be digested by most other species, including humans
How do they do it?
Microbial fermentation
THE RUMEN: MICROBIAL FERMENTATION
Rumen microorganisms and their roles•Bacteria: ferment fiber, starch, sugar in feed to VFA, H2, CO2•Protozoa: consume and ferment bacteria to VFA and NH3, ferment starch, recycle N•Funghi: assist in fibre digestion
Produce CH4, but allows for more complete feed utilization
2-12% energy loss
fermentation
1ST GENERATION BIOTECHNOLOGIES: FEED & FEEDING PRACTICES
• technologies that have relatively small risk and are uniformly associated with increased productivity and high reduction potential
• Classical technologies: focus on nutritional regulation, optimization of feed rations• Components of the diet fed, especially type of carbohydrate, are important for
methane production. They are able to influence the ruminal pH and alter the microbiota
2nd GENERATION BIOTECHNOLOGIES: FEED SUPPLEMENTS & ADDITIVES
• Many have some mitigation uncertainty, are expensive, have poorly understood interactive effects with other emission sources, or other associated risk.
• Technologies with potential to reduce CH4 by providing alternative hydrogen sinks, change populations of microbial species that produce methane
3RD GENERATION BIOTECHNOLOGIES: MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY
•Technologies on the horizon, including the use of genetic modification •Focus rumen manipulation
Vaccination Biological control through use of competitive or predatory microbes e.g.
Bacteriocins (directly inhibit archaea methanogens), acetogens (an alternative hydrogen sink)
Defaunation (elimination of rumen protozoa which symbiotically support some rumen methanogens)
•Currently being investigated, research in early stages •insufficient information on effects on methanogen species •methanogen diversity in the rumen is influenced by diet: poses a challenge
to develop a vaccine that can be effective in different conditions and regions
Ruminant production only practical means of food production in dry areas Occupies 1/3 of global land; 70% ag. land are rangelands and pastures
• 730 million poor live in rural and marginal areas• 430 million are poor livestock keepers
Density of poor livestock keepers
Emission intensity
ENTERIC METHANE MITIGATION: RELATIONSHIP WITH PRODUCTIVITY
first generation: dietary and best management practices
second generation third generation
Enteric CH4 emissions can be reduced by between 22% and 33% with the transfer and adoption of existing technologies
MITIGATION CONSTRAINTSo Ruminant production – low input systems,
operating low costo Complexity of sector: diversity, multiple roles o Limited awareness: reduction opportunities and
benefits, knowledge gaps on technologies and practices, limited institutional capacity
o Complexity of the rumen: methane production a biological process
o Cost of mitigation actions: role of carbon finance
CONCLUSIONS
o Methane: important role in short term mitigationo Biotechnology improves food security, raise incomes and reduces
emissionso Wide range of tools currently being applied to ruminant
production: • basic technologies e.g. nutritional strategies offer the largest
potential • further reductions can be achieved with modern and advanced
technologies• total reduction is however impossible
o For biotechnologies to have impact, context is importanto Investment in technological transfer and uptake required o Access to markets and inputs needs to be addressed
