Dietary Manipulation to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emission from Livestock

Abstract

The emission of greenhouse gases from livestock due to the fermentation process in the gastrointestinal tract is a colossal burden for veterinarians worldwide. These detrimental greenhouse gases are considered not only environmental pollutants but also toxic to human health. Livestock is considered a significant contributor to climate change by releasing these biogases into the ecosystem. In recent years, research has been focused on alteration of rumen microflora and fermentation kinetics of livestock for enhancing feed consumption and reducing the emission of toxic biogases. A plethora of supplements are being added into the feed of livestock for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases into the ecosystem. In this chapter, we have summarized the promising roles of probiotics, exogenous enzymes, plant metabolites and fodder trees, organic acids, and other microbes as ideal dietary feed additives for the sustainable mitigation of greenhouse gases release from ruminant and non-ruminant animals.