FSC in Dialog

Screening of livestock feed resources owning low enteric methane emissions for sustainable food security in Sub-Sahara Africa

by Prof. Aberra Melesse | PhD, Animal Breeding

from Animal and Range Sciences, Hawassa University

Livestock sector accounts for 40% of agricultural domestic product. Food from animal sources contributes 18% of global calories (kcal) and 25% of global protein consumptions. However, livestock sector contributes to green house gas (GHG) emissions causing climate change. The most important GHG from the livestock agriculture is methane (CH₄), which originates from enteric fermentation and manure. Ruminant animals reared in Sub-Sahara Africa are usually fed on tropical forage and produce high enteric CH₄ due to poor digestibility and nutrient content. Thus, searching for alternative livestock feed resources with possible low CH₄ emission while owing better nutrient quality would be justifiable. To this effect, 48 plant materials (foliages of multi-purpose trees, grasses, leaves of root crops, fruit waste and agro-industrial by products) were tested in vitro for their potentials to mitigate CH₄ emission. Results indicated that leaves of some multi-purpose tree species and root crops were identified as potential candidates in mitigating CH₄ emission, which might be used as feed supplements to conventional animal feeds. Moreover, some grass and legume forages have produced the lowest CH₄ and can be fed alone or in combinations with other feeds for optimum utilization. Animal-based experiments are recommended to validate the actual feeding value of the identified feed materials.

Presented on Monday, January 22, 2018 at the University of Hohenheim.