and McGinn (2006) reported that adding canola oil at the rate of 4.6 % of DM
intake inhibited methane emission by 32 %. This is achieved due to less fibre
degradation and also low feed intake by the animals.
8. Use of Anti-Methanogen Vaccine: One of the most promising approaches in the
recent years is the use of a vaccine against specific rumen microbes like
methanogenic archea to reduce the methane production. The use of vaccines in
animals has been conventional for disease prevention or control for many
decades, but novel uses such as production increases and methane abatement
have only been proposed recently. Vaccination of ruminants against rumen
methanogens has the potential to reduce methane emissions by decreasing the
number or activity of methanogens in the rumen. The anti-methanogen vaccine
works by triggering an animal’s immune system to produce antibodies against
the methanogens. Animals would be vaccinated to stimulate production of
specific salivary antibodies against rumen methanogen and delivery of antibodies to the rumen should result in impairment of methanogen function and
their ability to produce methane (Wedlock et al. 2013). Several researches have
been done in ruminants especially in sheep as a ruminant model in Australia and
New Zealand and found methane reduction of about 23 %, even though this
value may be affected by the type of diet, climate and other factors. Williams
et al. (2009) reported a vaccine which evoked a substantial production of serum
antibody against the methanogens especially the Methano brevibacter strains.
This vaccine found to have affected the diversity and composition of the
methanogen population.
8 Conclusions
It can be concluded that by improving the animal productivity and reducing the
numbers of non-productive animals, the environmental impacts of animal production can be minimized, as low producing animals are mainly involved in maximum
emission of methane. Reducing the numbers of ruminants will be a difficult and
complex task, both politically and socially. Again in the world scenario, India is
equipped with a dense population of low producing animals and these animals
provide food security to many poor and land less labours. So, in such a condition
implementing culling of low producing animals looks very difficult. Again providing high nutritious food by these poor farmers also does not look feasible.
Hence, implementing a programme that will reduce the methane production and
indirectly global warming is very difficult in Indian context. But providing high
nutritious feeds and development of new and effective mitigation strategies to
reduce enteric rumen fermentation is today’s call for all the scientists.
Impact of Ruminants on Global Warming: Indian and Global Context
95
intake inhibited methane emission by 32 %. This is achieved due to less fibre
degradation and also low feed intake by the animals.
8. Use of Anti-Methanogen Vaccine: One of the most promising approaches in the
recent years is the use of a vaccine against specific rumen microbes like
methanogenic archea to reduce the methane production. The use of vaccines in
animals has been conventional for disease prevention or control for many
decades, but novel uses such as production increases and methane abatement
have only been proposed recently. Vaccination of ruminants against rumen
methanogens has the potential to reduce methane emissions by decreasing the
number or activity of methanogens in the rumen. The anti-methanogen vaccine
works by triggering an animal’s immune system to produce antibodies against
the methanogens. Animals would be vaccinated to stimulate production of
specific salivary antibodies against rumen methanogen and delivery of antibodies to the rumen should result in impairment of methanogen function and
their ability to produce methane (Wedlock et al. 2013). Several researches have
been done in ruminants especially in sheep as a ruminant model in Australia and
New Zealand and found methane reduction of about 23 %, even though this
value may be affected by the type of diet, climate and other factors. Williams
et al. (2009) reported a vaccine which evoked a substantial production of serum
antibody against the methanogens especially the Methano brevibacter strains.
This vaccine found to have affected the diversity and composition of the
methanogen population.
8 Conclusions
It can be concluded that by improving the animal productivity and reducing the
numbers of non-productive animals, the environmental impacts of animal production can be minimized, as low producing animals are mainly involved in maximum
emission of methane. Reducing the numbers of ruminants will be a difficult and
complex task, both politically and socially. Again in the world scenario, India is
equipped with a dense population of low producing animals and these animals
provide food security to many poor and land less labours. So, in such a condition
implementing culling of low producing animals looks very difficult. Again providing high nutritious food by these poor farmers also does not look feasible.
Hence, implementing a programme that will reduce the methane production and
indirectly global warming is very difficult in Indian context. But providing high
nutritious feeds and development of new and effective mitigation strategies to
reduce enteric rumen fermentation is today’s call for all the scientists.
Impact of Ruminants on Global Warming: Indian and Global Context
95