Frank Mitloehner, University of California – Davis professor and air quality specialist, is working to clear the air on the role of livestock in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. He notes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has quantified livestock as the source of just 4.2 percent of all U.S. GHG emissions. This compared to transportation and energy sectors contribute 27 percent and 31 percent of U.S. GHG emissions respectively and 58 percent combined. According to EPA data, beef cattle contribute 2.2 percent, dairy cattle 1.37percent, swine .47 percent, poultry .08 percent and sheep, goats and other livestock contribute .08 percent of GHG emissions.
Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, April 28, 2016.
One certainly cannot neglect emissions from the livestock sector,” Mitloehner says, “but to compare them to the main emission sources would put us on a wrong path to solutions, namely to significantly reduce our anthropogenic carbon footprint to reduce climate change.”
INSIGHTS: Public perceptions on this matter differ from reality. It is important that animal health professionals know the facts and represent our industry correctly when involved in GHG discussions in the community.