The making and absorption of carbon dioxide by the environment happen naturally on earth. However, the recent extremely high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can be blamed on human activity (EPA 9). In the UK alone, they produced 655 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2005 (Gill, Smith, and Wilkinson 3). This fact is especially staggering when you realize that because it is gas, it takes a lot more of it to make a ton than something like wood or iron would. The countries of the world have been working on improving our environmental impact for the past 11 years, but our environmental impact continues to climb (Soloman et. al). This paper will be focused on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to the agriculture sector and some possible
…show more content…
With livestock from the day they are born to the day they die, they are creating methane from burping (if they are a ruminant) and also from their bodily waste. There are various things that the farm can do to cut back on animal related GHG’s. Emissions can be cut by either changing the genetics of the animal itself to make less methane or to leave the animal alone and change the way we handle the animals and their waste (new food or GHG inhibitors.) Semi-recent studies in the UK by Genesis-Faraday (Genesis-Faraday Partnership) have shown than past choice of genetic production traits like milk production, fertility, growth rate, and effectiveness of food digestion have made a decrease per one livestock in GHG production of about 1% each year. The gains have obviously been the largest in the species where the largest genetic achievements have happened. These would be poultry, pigs, and dairy cows. The authors predicted that the rate of genetic gains should remain consistent with at least the past 20 years if not more. Since there are economic reasons for the producers to research these genetic improvements, there isn’t really much need to prod them as they are going to do it
With livestock from the day they are born to the day they die, they are creating methane from burping (if they are a ruminant) and also from their bodily waste. There are various things that the farm can do to cut back on animal related GHG’s. Emissions can be cut by either changing the genetics of the animal itself to make less methane or to leave the animal alone and change the way we handle the animals and their waste (new food or GHG inhibitors.) Semi-recent studies in the UK by Genesis-Faraday (Genesis-Faraday Partnership) have shown than past choice of genetic production traits like milk production, fertility, growth rate, and effectiveness of food digestion have made a decrease per one livestock in GHG production of about 1% each year. The gains have obviously been the largest in the species where the largest genetic achievements have happened. These would be poultry, pigs, and dairy cows. The authors predicted that the rate of genetic gains should remain consistent with at least the past 20 years if not more. Since there are economic reasons for the producers to research these genetic improvements, there isn’t really much need to prod them as they are going to do it