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Colombian breakthrough in sustainable livestock farming: pioneering study estimates carbon emissions from bovine genetics
Scientists from the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), together with Hacienda San José (HSJ) in the department of Vichada, developed a pioneering methodology to estimate greenhouse gas emissions associated with bovine genetic resources—a component that had so far remained invisible in livestock carbon footprint analyses.
- crop-livestock
- crops
- Genetic Research
Colombian breakthrough in sustainable livestock farming: pioneering study estimates carbon emissions from bovine genetics
- Scientists from the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), together with Hacienda San José (HSJ) in the department of Vichada, developed a pioneering methodology to estimate greenhouse gas emissions associated with bovine genetic resources—a component that had so far remained invisible in livestock carbon footprint analyses.
- The study, published in the prestigious journal The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, demonstrates that the Short-Cycle Nelore breed used at HSJ emits up to 17% fewer greenhouse gases per kilogram of live weight than conventional Brahman cattle, due to its accelerated growth and reproductive performance.
- This finding complements the study published in 2022 by the same team, which concluded that the integrated management of improved pastures in tropical savannas can offset up to three times the emissions generated by cattle.