<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Cattle produce greenhouse gases (GHG) which lead to changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere. These gases which cause greenhouse effect include: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), dust particles and non-methane volatile organic compounds, commonly described as other than methane hydrocarbons. Fermentation processes taking place in the digestive tract produce ‘digestive gases’, distinguished from gases which are emitted during the decomposition of manure. Among these digestive gases methane and non-methane volatile organic compounds are of particular relevance importance. The amount of gases produced by cows can be reduced by choosing to rear animals with an improved genetically based performance. A dairy cow with higher production efficiency, producing milk with higher protein content and at the same time reduced fat content emits less GHG into the environment. Increasing the ratio of feed mixtures in a feed ration also reduces GHG emissions, especially of methane. By selection of dairy cows with higher production efficiency and appropriate nutrition, the farm's expected milk production target can be achieved while at the same time, the size of the herd is reduced, leading to a reduction of GHG emissions.</p></abstract>

Cattle produce greenhouse gases (GHG) which lead to changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere. These gases which cause greenhouse effect include: methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ammonia (NH3), dust particles and non-methane volatile organic compounds, commonly described as other than methane hydrocarbons. Fermentation processes taking place in the digestive tract produce ‘digestive gases’, distinguished from gases which are emitted during the decomposition of manure. Among these digestive gases methane and non-methane volatile organic compounds are of particular relevance importance. The amount of gases produced by cows can be reduced by choosing to rear animals with an improved genetically based performance. A dairy cow with higher production efficiency, producing milk with higher protein content and at the same time reduced fat content emits less GHG into the environment. Increasing the ratio of feed mixtures in a feed ration also reduces GHG emissions, especially of methane. By selection of dairy cows with higher production efficiency and appropriate nutrition, the farm's expected milk production target can be achieved while at the same time, the size of the herd is reduced, leading to a reduction of GHG emissions.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cattle

Uniwersytet Technologiczno-Przyrodniczy im. J. J. Śniadeckich w Bydgoszczy, Poland

University of South Bohemia, České Budìjovice, Czech Republic

National Agricultural and Food Centre, Research Institute of Animal Production Nitra, Hlohovecká 2, 951 41 Lužianky, Slovak Republic;

Ekológia (Bratislava)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cattle"}

Cattle produce greenhouse gases (GHG) which lead to changes in the chemical composition of the atmosphere. These gases which cause greenhouse effect include:...

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cattle

Published Online: Mar 01, 2015

Page range: 82 - 88

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/eko-2015-0009

Keywords
emissions, methane nitrous oxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, cow milk

© 2015 Zbigniew Podkówka et. al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Cattle

Published Online: Mar 01, 2015

Page range: 82 - 88

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/eko-2015-0009

Keywordsemissions, methane nitrous oxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, cow milk

© 2015 Zbigniew Podkówka et. al.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
emissions, methane nitrous oxide, ammonia, nitrogen oxides, cow milk