Issue 10, 2012

Estimation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Indian livestock

Abstract

Greenhouse gas (GHG; methane and nitrous oxide) emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management of Indian livestock were estimated from the last two Indian livestock census datasets (2003 and 2007) using IPCC Tier 2 (2006) guidelines. The total annual GHG emissions from Indian livestock increased in 2007 compared to the year 2003 with an annual growth rate of 1.52% over this period. The contributions of GHG by dairy cattle, non-dairy cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep and other animals (yak, mithun, horse, donkeys, pigs and poultry) were 30.52, 24.0, 37.7, 4.34, 2.09 and 3.52%, respectively, in 2007. Enteric fermentation was the major source of methane, accounting for 89.2% of the total GHG emissions, followed by manure methane (9.49%). Nitrous oxide emissions accounted for 1.34%. GHG emissions (CO2-eq. per kg of fat and protein corrected milk (FPCM)) by female animals were considerably lower for crossbred cows (1161 g), followed by buffaloes (1332 g) and goats (2699 g), and were the highest for indigenous cattle (3261 g) in 2007. There was a decreasing trend in GHG emissions (−1.82% annual growth rate) in relation to milk production from 2003 to 2007 (1818 g and 1689 g CO2-eq. per kg FPCM in 2003 and 2007, respectively). This study revealed that GHG emissions (total as well as per unit of products) from dairy and other categories of livestock populations could be reduced substantially through proper dairy herd management without compromising animal production. In conclusion, although the total GHG emissions from Indian livestock increased in 2007, there was a decreasing trend in GHG production per kg of milk production or animal products.

Graphical abstract: Estimation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Indian livestock

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
15 Dec 2011
Accepted
17 Jul 2012
First published
18 Jul 2012

J. Environ. Monit., 2012,14, 2673-2684

Estimation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Indian livestock

A. K. Patra, J. Environ. Monit., 2012, 14, 2673 DOI: 10.1039/C2EM30396E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Spotlight

Advertisements