EMISION DE METANO ENTERICO POR RUMIANTES Y SU CONTRIBUCION AL CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL Y AL CAMBIO CLIMATICO. REVISION

Abstract

Methane (CH4) production by ruminants it comes from their natural digestive process but it constitutes an energy loss and it contributes to greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, therefore more research has been recently focused to reduce ruminal methanogenesis, which is influenced by many factors, some of them are: feed intake, diet composition and digestibility, and previous food processing. Between CH4 mitigation strategies proposed, dietary-nutritional manipulation it seems the most simple, practical and feasible. In countries where GEI emissions inventories has been estimated, methane quantity it is very important, and for example, in New Zeland, it is perceptible and considered urgent the necessity that farmers have access to technologies to decrease methane emissions in a safe and cost-effective manner. In Mexico it has been found significant differences between factors proposed by different entities, suggesting the development of more studies at different climatic conditions. In order to develop mitigation strategies to methane emissions from livestock it must be possible to quantify them in a wide type of circumstances, and in fact, there are many methods for methane emissions estimation and measurement. The objective of this review is the compilation and diffusion of information about methane emission by ruminants, their effects on global warming and climate change, and actual mitigation alternatives.