Researchers join hands to curb enteric methane emission

LUDHIANA: Annual review meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) sponsored outreach project on “Estimation of Methane Emission under Different Feeding Systems and Development of Mitigation Strategies” was held at the Department of Animal Nutrition, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU).

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 10

Annual review meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) sponsored outreach project on “Estimation of Methane Emission under Different Feeding Systems and Development of Mitigation Strategies” was held at the Department of Animal Nutrition, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University (GADVASU).

Dr Manju Wadhwa, Head of the Department, said methane was a potent greenhouse gas accountable for global warming and Indian livestock were one of the major sources for anthropogenic methane emission in the country, but the exact emission figures were not exactly known. Moreover, the diverse feeding practices prevailing in different states also lead to different emissions.

Principal investigators from participating centres have presented the progress report. Seven centres, including GADVASU, were trying to address these issues. ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, which is the lead centre for the project, has developed the enteric methane emission database for the south and north Indian states, including Punjab.

Dr H Rahman, Deputy Director General (Animal Science), ICAR, said it was an important issue to keep environment clean and healthy for human beings and livestock. Dr AS Nanda, VC, GADVASU, said this was an important project which covered almost every part of India and outcome of this project would definitely improve the condition and health of the environment.

Dr Wadhwa said the livestock in Punjab was emitting 0.25 million metric tonnes enteric methane per year. While presenting the report, researchers said Uttar Pradesh with 1.5 million metric tonnes was the largest methane emitting state in the country. The researchers from various institutes were trying to curb the enteric methane emission by 20-25 per cent of the present level.

Dr Rahman, Dr Nanda, Dr B Prakash, Assistant Director General (Animal Nutrition and Physiology), ICAR, and project coordinator, Dr Raghavendra Bhatta, Director, NIANP, Bangalore, reviewed the progress of various participating centres. The panel of experts has emphasised the need to evaluate already developed mitigation strategies in lactating cattle and buffaloes and also to compare the variation in methane emission between indigenous and cross-bred cattle. The panel also stressed upon the need to compare the methane emission from cattle and buffaloes for producing one kg of milk.