The role of small ruminants on global climate change

Global warming, as a consequence of excessive CO₂ production mainly due to anthropogenic actions, is one of the main concerns of society due to the effects it can cause in the survival of humans, plants and animals. Several climatic consequences have already been reported, such as warming the oceans and changing biodiversity in various regions of the planet. One of the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, which causes a lot of concern, is methane gas from digestion of food by ruminants. Besides that, emissions of greenhouse gases are represented also by waste management, rice cultivation, burning of residues from agriculture and soil management for agricultural production. Among ruminants, sheep and goats play an important economic role mainly in Oceania, Asia and Africa. More than 50% of small ruminants of the world are located in arid region, indicating their adaptability and future suitability to increasing temperatures. The purpose of this review is to report current knowledge about the methane emission produced by small ruminants, addressing the different interfaces of this theme, and considering possible mitigation strategies.

Keywords:
climate change; goats; methane; sheep

Authorship

Alda Lúcia Gomes Monteiro ^**Author for correspondence. E-mail:aldaufpr@gmail.com

Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, 80035-050, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Universidade Federal do ParanáBrazilCuritiba, Paraná, BrazilDepartamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua dos Funcionários, 1540, 80035-050, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Amanda Moser Coelho da Fonseca Faro

Instituto Federal Catarinense, Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Instituto Federal CatarinenseBrazilCamboriú, Santa Catarina, BrazilInstituto Federal Catarinense, Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Mylena Taborda Piquera Peres

Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. Universidade Federal do ParanáBrazilCuritiba, Paraná, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.

Rafael Batista

Cesar Henrique Espirito Candal Poli

Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulBrazilPorto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, BrazilDepartamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Juan Jose Villalba

Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5230 USA. Utah State UniversityUSALogan, Utah, USAUtah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5230 USA.

*Author for correspondence. E-mail:aldaufpr@gmail.com

SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Instituto Federal Catarinense, Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Instituto Federal CatarinenseBrazilCamboriú, Santa Catarina, BrazilInstituto Federal Catarinense, Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5230 USA. Utah State UniversityUSALogan, Utah, USAUtah State University, Logan, Utah 84322-5230 USA.

Figures | Tables

Figures (1)
Tables (3)

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Figure 1
Global and Brazilian herds of sheep, goats and cattle, in millions (FAO, 2016Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.).

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Table 1
World and Brazilian emission of ruminal methane for sheep, goats and cattle.

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Table 2
Annual methane ruminal emission of sheep, according to body weight (BW) in different regions of world.

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Table 3
Annual methane ruminal emission of goats, according to body weight (BW) in different regions of world.

Figure 1 Global and Brazilian herds of sheep, goats and cattle, in millions (FAO, 2016Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.).

Table 1 World and Brazilian emission of ruminal methane for sheep, goats and cattle.

Variables	Sheep	Goats	Cattle	Source
World Emission (Gg CH₄)	6,564	5,014	71,910	FAO (2016)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
World Emission (Gg CO_2-eq)	137,840	105,295	1,510,106	FAO (2016)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Brazilian Emission (Gg CH₄)	353.4* 92.2	353.4* 48.9	11,876 12,536	MCTI (2014)Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação [MCTI]. (2014). Estimativas anuais de emissões de gases de efeito estufa no Brasil. Brasília, DF: MCTI. FAO (2016)**Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Brazilian Emission (Gg CO_2-eq)	1,936	1,027	263,245	FAO (2016)Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO]. (2016). Statistical Yearbook (Vol. 1). Rome, Italy: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Emission by Product (kg CO_2-eq kg meat^-1)	23.4 24.4	23.3 23.5	67.4 53.4	Gerber et al. (2013Gerber, P. J., Steinfeld, H., Henderson, B., Mottet, A., Opio, C., Dijkman, J., … Tempio, G. (2013). Tackling climate change through livestock: a global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).)***

*Data from sheep, goats, buffaloes, pigs and equines together. ** Estimates for the year 2012; ***Values estimated by GLEAM 2.0 software developed by FAO.

Table 2 Annual methane ruminal emission of sheep, according to body weight (BW) in different regions of world.

Emission (kg CH₄ year^-1)	BW (kg)	Local	Source
8	55	Global	IPCC (2006)Intergovernamental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC]. (2006). IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. Kanagawa, JP: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.
6.9	37	New Zealand	Lassey, Ulyatt, Martin, Walker, and Shelton (1997Lassey, K. R., Ulyatt, M. J., Martin, R. J., Walker, C. F., & Shelton, I. D. (1997). Methane emissions measured directly from grazing livestock in New Zealand. Atmospheric Environment, 31(18), 2905-2914. )
8	-	Several	Pelchen and Peters (1998Pelchen, A., & Peters, K. J. (1998). Methane emissions from sheep. Small Ruminant Research, 27(2), 137-150. )
9.8	65	United Kingdom	Murray, Moss, Lockyer, and Jarvis (1999Murray, P. J., Moss, A., Lockyer, D. R., & Jarvis, S. C. (1999). A comparison of systems for measuring methane emissions from sheep. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 133(4), 439-444. )
5.7	35	New Zealand	Ulyatt, Lassey, Shelton, and Walker (2002Ulyatt, M. J., Lassey, K. R., Shelton, I. D., & Walker, C. F. (2002). Methane emission from dairy cows and wether sheep fed subtropical grass dominant pastures in midsummer in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 45(4), 227-234. )
7.3	47	New Zealand	Hammond et al. (2014Hammond, K. J., Pacheco, D., Burke, J. L., Koolaard, J. P., Muetzel, S., & Waghorn, G. C. (2014). The effects of fresh forages and feed intake level on digesta kinetics and enteric methane emissions from sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 193, 32-43. )
7.5	42	New Zealand	Pinares-Patiño et al. (2011Pinares-Patiño, C. S., Lassey, K. R., Martin, R. J., Molano, G., Fernandez, M., MacLean, S., ... Clark, H. (2011). Assessment of the sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique using respiration chambers for estimation of methane emissions from sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 166, 201-209. )
6.1	36	New Zealand	Sun, Hoskin, Muetzel, Molano, and Clark (2011Sun, X. Z., Hoskin, S. O., Muetzel, S., Molano, G., & Clark, H. (2011). Effects of forage chicory (Cichorium intybus) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) on methane emissions in vitro and from sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 166, 391-397. )
9.2	51	New Zealand	Hammond et al. (2014Hammond, K. J., Pacheco, D., Burke, J. L., Koolaard, J. P., Muetzel, S., & Waghorn, G. C. (2014). The effects of fresh forages and feed intake level on digesta kinetics and enteric methane emissions from sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 193, 32-43. )
8.3	35	Brazil	Savian et al. (2014Savian, J. V., Neto, A. B., de David, D. B., Bremm, C., Schons, R. M. T., Genro, T. C. M., ... Bayer, C. (2014). Grazing intensity and stocking methods on animal production and methane emission by grazing sheep: Implications for integrated crop-livestock system. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 190, 112-119. )
14.6	59	Brazil	Savian et al. (2014Savian, J. V., Neto, A. B., de David, D. B., Bremm, C., Schons, R. M. T., Genro, T. C. M., ... Bayer, C. (2014). Grazing intensity and stocking methods on animal production and methane emission by grazing sheep: Implications for integrated crop-livestock system. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 190, 112-119. )
8.6	60	Australia	Goopy et al. (2014Goopy, J. P., Donaldson, A., Hegarty, R., Vercoe, P. E., Haynes, F., Barnett, M., & Oddy, V. H. (2014). Low-methane yield sheep have smaller rumens and shorter rumen retention time. British Journal of Nutrition, 111(4), 578-585. )
6.6	52	Mongolia	Zhai et al. (2015Zhai, X., Lu, T., Tang, S., Liu, X., Ma, X., Han, G., … Wang, C. (2015). Methane emission from sheep respiration and sheepfolds during the grazing season in a desert grassland. The Open Atmospheric Science Journal, 9(1), 23-28. )
8.6	24	Brazil	Savian et al. (2018Savian, J. V., Schons, R. M. T., Marchi, D. E., Freitas, T. S., Silva Neto, G. F., Mezzalira, J. C., ... Carvalho, P. C. F. (2018). Rotatinuous stocking: A grazing management innovation that has high potential to mitigate methane emissions by sheep. Journal of Cleaner Production, 186, 602-608. )
7.2	56	France	Archimède et al. (2018Archimède, H., Rira, M., Eugène, M., Fleury, J., Lastel, M. L., Périacarpin, F., … Doreau, M. (2018). Intake, total-tract digestibility and methane emissions of Texel and Blackbelly sheep fed C4 and C3 grasses tested simultaneously in a temperate and a tropical area. Journal of Cleaner Production, 185, 455-463. )

Table 3 Annual methane ruminal emission of goats, according to body weight (BW) in different regions of world.

Emission (kg CH₄ year^-1)	BW (kg)	Local	Source
Non Dairy Goats
5	40	Global	IPCC (2006)Intergovernamental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC]. (2006). IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. Kanagawa, JP: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies.
6.8	34	USA	Animut et al. (2008Animut, G., Puchala, R., Goetsch, A. L., Patra, A. K., Sahlu, T., Varel, V. H., & Wells, J. (2008). Methane emission by goats consuming diets with different levels of condensed tannins from lespedeza. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 144(3-4), 212-227. doi: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2007.10.014 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.200... )
3	25	Africa	Herrero, Thornton, Kruska, and Reid (2008Herrero, M., Thornton, P. K., Kruska, R., & Reid, R. S. (2008). Systems dynamics and the spatial distribution of methane emissions from African domestic ruminants to 2030. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 126(1-2), 122-137. )
9	40	New Zealand	MAF (2012)Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry [MAF]. (2012). Methane emissions and nitrogen excretion rates for New Zealand goats. Wellington, NZ: MAF.
6.2	24	China	Yang, Mao, Long, and Zhu (2012Yang, C. J., Mao, S. Y., Long, L. M., & Zhu, W. Y. (2012). Effect of disodium fumarate on microbial abundance, ruminal fermentation and methane emission in goats under different forage: concentrate ratios. Animal, 6(11), 1788-1794. )
5	45	South Korea	Jeong et al. (2012Jeong, W. Y., Yi, O. H., Choi, H. J., Nam, K. T., Kim, B. G., & Lee, S. R. (2012). Effects of dietary vegetable oils on intake, digestibility and methane emission from black goats. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 11(24), 4689-4692. )
5.8	34	Japan	Bhatta et al. (2013Bhatta, R., Enishi, O., Yabumoto, Y., Nonaka, I., Takusari, N., Higuchi, K., … Kurihara, M. (2013). Methane reduction and energy partitioning in goats fed two concentrations of tannin from Mimosa spp. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 151(1), 119-128. )
5.6	34	India	Miri, Tyagi, Ebrahimi, and Mohini (2013Miri, V. H., Tyagi, A. K., Ebrahimi, S. H., & Mohini, M. (2013). Effect of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seed extract on milk fatty acid profile and methane emission in lactating goat. Small Ruminant Research, 113(1), 66-72. )
4.6	45	Denmark	Nielsen, Kiani, Tejada, Chwalibog, and Alstrup (2014Nielsen, M. O., Kiani, A. l., Tejada, E., Chwalibog, A., & Alstrup, L. (2014). Energy metabolism and methane production in llamas, sheep and goats fed high-and low-quality grass-based diets. Archives of Animal Nutrition, 68(3), 171-185. )
5	38	Spain	Martínez-Fernández et al. (2014Martínez-Fernández, G., Abecia, L., Ramos-Morales, E., Martin-García, A. I., Molina-Alcaide, E., & Yáñez-Ruiz, D. R. (2014). Effects of propyl propane thiosulfinate on nutrient utilization, ruminal fermentation, microbial population and methane emissions in goats. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 191, 16-25. )
9	47	Spain	Ibáñez, López, Criscioni, and Fernández (2015Ibáñez, C., López, M. C., Criscioni, P., & Fernández, C. (2015). Effect of replacing dietary corn with beet pulp on energy partitioning, substrate oxidation and methane production in lactating dairy goats. Animal Production Science, 55(1), 56-63. ) Criscioni and Fernández (2016)Criscioni, P., & Fernández, C. (2016). Effect of rice bran as a replacement for oat grain in energy and nitrogen balance, methane emissions, and milk performance of Murciano-Granadina goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 99(1), 280-290.
6.6	30	Brazil	Lima et al. (2016Lima, A. R. C., Fernandes, M. H. M. R., Teixeira, I. A. M. A., Frighetto, R. T. S., Bompadre, T. F. V., Biagioli, B., ... Resende, K. T. (2016). Effects of feed restriction and forage: concentrate ratio on digestibility, methane emission, and energy utilization by goats. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 45(12), 781-787. )
9.7	46	Spain	Criscioni, and Fernández (2016Criscioni, P., & Fernández, C. (2016). Effect of rice bran as a replacement for oat grain in energy and nitrogen balance, methane emissions, and milk performance of Murciano-Granadina goats. Journal of Dairy Science, 99(1), 280-290. )
6	20	Brazil	Barbosa et al. (2018Barbosa, A. L., Voltolini, T. V., Menezes, D. R., Moraes, S. A., Nascimento, J. C. S., & Rodrigues, R. T. S. (2018). Intake, digestibility, growth performance, and enteric methane emission of Brazilian semiarid non-descript breed goats fed diets with different forage to concentrate ratios. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 50(2), 283-289. )
3.4	19	South Korea	Na, Li, and Lee (2017Na, Y., Li, D. H., & Lee, S. R. (2017). Effects of dietary forage-to-concentrate ratio on nutrient digestibility and enteric methane production in growing goats (Capra hircus hircus) and Sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum). Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 30(7), 967-972. )
0.5	7	Bangladesh	Hoque, Islam, Selim, Ahmed, and Rahman (2017Hoque, S. A. M., Islam, M. M., Selim, A. S. M., Ahmed, S., & Rahman, M. M. (2017). Estimation of total methane emission from enteric fermentation of ruminant livestock in Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 3(2), 245-253. )
0.85	13	Bangladesh	Hoque et al. (2017Hoque, S. A. M., Islam, M. M., Selim, A. S. M., Ahmed, S., & Rahman, M. M. (2017). Estimation of total methane emission from enteric fermentation of ruminant livestock in Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 3(2), 245-253. )
Dairy Goats
14.3		France	Vermorel et al. (2008Vermorel, M., Jouany, J. P., Eugène, M., Sauvant, D., Noblet, J., & Dourmad, J.-Y. (2008). Evaluation quantitative des émissions de méthane entérique par les animaux d’élevage en 2007 en France. INRA - Producones Animales, 21(5), 403-418. )
13.7		Spain	Ibáñez et al. (2016Ibáñez, C., Criscioni, P., Arriaga, H., Merino, P., Espinós, F. J., & Fernández, C. (2016). Murciano-Granadina goat performance and methane emission after replacing barley grain with fibrous by-products. PlosOne, 11(3), e0151215. )

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[1] *Author for correspondence. E-mail:aldaufpr@gmail.com