Technologies for reducing enteric greenhouse gas emissions from livestock: Current and future research

An underinvestment in livestock methane emissions abatement is apparent in the global investment map, and the traditionally low investment in agricultural research in Southeast Asia (SEA) makes the region especially exposed to pressures to manage livestock emissions. While global discovery and development of livestock methane abatement are underway via research into feed additives, the feed base, animal breeding and vaccination, the current emissions impact of this investment is low. This means it is timely for SEA to focus on improving adoption of available farm- and animal-management technologies which reduce the emission cost per unit of animal product by increasing the average productivity of the herd or flock. This paper summarises the technologies that may reduce livestock’s enteric greenhouse gas emissions as well as reducing poverty and hunger, while supporting increased animal production and so improved human health and well-being. It then updates the global progress in enteric methane mitigation research and the needs in research to advance mitigation by feed additives, diet change, animal breeding, vaccination, and methane oxidation.