This document discusses opportunities to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock management in the United States. It outlines how enteric fermentation and manure emissions from livestock, primarily ruminants such as cattle and dairy cows, are significant sources of methane and nitrous oxide. The document then discusses various management strategies that could reduce these emissions, including improving animal diets, using methane-inhibiting additives, genetic selection, increasing productivity, composting manure, and capturing methane from manure.

1. GHG Mitigation Opportunities for
Livestock Management in the
U.S.

2. Today’s plan
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3. Air Quality
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4. New Factors for Animal Ag
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5. Climate Change Legislation
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6. Greenhouse gases
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7. Greenhouse gases
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8. • Enteric fermentation
– Natural process
– Byproduct of
fermentation
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– Methane is a high
energy compound that
represents uncaptured
feed energy
• Primarily in ruminants
Relevant Processes

9. • Enteric fermentation
– 50-200 L CH4/ beef
animal daily
– 350-590 L CH4/ dairy
cow daily
• Primarily in ruminants
Relevant Processes

10. • Manure emissions
– Natural process
– Byproduct of
fermentation
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• From all animals
Relevant Sources

11. IPCC
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12. IPCC
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13. IPCC
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14. Relative contribution to greenhouse gas emission
Energy, 86.4% Solvent and product use,0.1%
Industrial, 4.5%
Agriculture, 6.3%
Waste, 2.7%
EPA, 2007

15. Methane
Waste water systems,
4.7%
Natural gas and
petroleum systems, 26%
Field burning, 0.2%
Rice cultivation, 1%
Other non-ag, 4%
Landfills, 24%
Enteric fermentation, 21%
Manure management
8%
Coal mine
active/nonactive,
11%

16. Nitrous Oxide
Agricultural soil management, 77.9%
Field burning, 0.1%
Production/usage, 5.6%
Forest land, 0.3%
Manure management, 2.0%
Combustion, 11.1%
EPA, 2007

17. Enteric Mitigation
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18. Diet Digestibility
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19. Diet Digestibility
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20. Diet Digestibility

21. Additives
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22. Additives
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23. Additives
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24. Additives
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25. Additives
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26. Additives
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27. Additives
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28. Additives
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29. Additives
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30. Genetics
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31. Genetics
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32. Animal Productivity
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33. Animal Productivity
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34. Animal Productivity
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35. Animal Productivity
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36. Animal Productivity
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37. Manure Production
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38. Manure Production
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39. Manure Production
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40. Manure Production
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41. Composting
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42. Manure Production
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43. Manure Production
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44. Make it happen
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45. Make it happen
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46. Additional Opportunities
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47. Summary
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