Methane emissions from cattle production – Issues in meeting the Kyoto targets.

Methane is a greenhouse gas that is emitted mainly by livestock, and accounts for about 14% of national greenhouse gas emissions. If Australia is to meet the Kyoto targets, then greater attention is likely to be focused on ways that methane emissions can be reduced. The three main options to reduce methane emissions are to reduce livestock numbers (particularly in rangelands areas), reduce emissions per kilogram of beef produced (by improving feed efficiency and other factors), or to manipulate microbial activity in the rumen by biological, chemical or immunological control agents.