Improving measurement of enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle in LMICs

Abstract Information: Under nutrition, especially amongst children, is incredibly high in many Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). Government and development organizations promote consumption of animal-sourced foods (ASF) to help reduce under nutrition in LMICs. However, enteric methane emissions from livestock, especially from cattle, are a large (40%) contributor to global agricultural emissions. Climate change is an existential issue. Therefore, measuring enteric methane emissions from cattle is challenging but important, so that organizations can test and promote dairy production interventions that best reduce emission intensities and/or overall emissions, while still providing this important source of ASF to the population. With this in mind, Land O’Lakes Venture37 is developing a more accurate and efficient farm-level methodology for measuring enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle in LMICs that is flexible for the various contexts in which we work but rigorous to allow a high level of confidence in the results. Venture37’s original methane measurement methodology was adapted from protocol developed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). An updated version of the methdology is adapted from the Alliance for Biodiversity / CIAT. The methodology involves a farmer survey and secondary data related to milk and feed quality. The farmer survey asks about cattle breed(s), animal health practices, cattle locomotion, cattle feed types and quantities, cattle weight (via heart girth measurement), calving status, pregnancy status and daily milk yield. The secondary data on milk quality is collected from local processors and feed quality comes from ILRI’s extensive online feed database. As of the writing of this abstract, the methodology has been tested in Ethiopia, Kenya, Republic of Georgia and Tanzania. This presentation will share the evolution of the methodology, including how we incorporated input and feedback from diverse perspectives. Venture37 integrated feedback from staff, researchers and farmers across several countries in refining and adapting the methodology. These diverse voices have been crucial to developing a methodology that is rigorous and adaptable to different contexts. This presentation will also share how we’re working with various stakeholders to leverage the findings to further reduce methane emissions while simultaneously increasing dairy productivity, thereby contributing to greater ASF and reducing under nutrition in LMICs.