University of Wyoming Researchers Identify Research Gap in Livestock Methane Emissions and Soil Carbon Sequestration
University of Wyoming researchers have identified a significant gap in existing studies concerning livestock methane emissions: the simultaneous assessment of soil carbon sequestration. A new literature review, titled 'Global Review of Grazing Beef Cattle and Methane Emissions: More Simultaneous Animal and Soil Sampling Needed to Inform Appropriate Policy and Management,' led by Nicki Nimlos, UW Extension state range management specialist, and her colleagues, analyzed 82 peer-reviewed papers on methane emissions from grazing cattle globally. The review found that only two of these studies simultaneously assessed both soil carbon sequestration and cattle methane emissions. These two studies indicated that, under specific grazing management systems, soil carbon sequestration could potentially offset more methane emissions produced by cattle than previously understood. This highlights a critical oversight in current research, as most mitigation strategies proposed for methane emissions, such as feed additives...
