Genetic solutions to reduce greenhouse gases, especially methane in the dairy cattle industry

Document Type : Scientific-Extensional Article

Authors

1 M.Sc. Student of Animal and Poultry Breeding & Genetics, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

2 Associate Professor of Animal and Poultry Breeding & Genetics, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

3 Ph.D. Student of Animal and Poultry Breeding & Genetics, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

An increase in global temperatures due to greenhouse gas emissions plays a very important role in climate change. About 18 percent of the world's greenhouse gases come from livestock, including dairy cows, 35 percent of which are due to ruminant methane production. Recent studies in dairy cows have shown that there is a genetic variation in methane production that makes it possible to design reduce methane strategies based on breeding. Breeding strategies to reduce methane emissions include direct selection to reduce methane released through the burping and intestines and also indirect selection through indicator traits such as feed intake and milk infrared spectroscopy data. Many of these traits are costly or difficult to record and measure; however, with the advent of molecular genetics and the introduction of genomic selection, it is practical to defining methane emission reduction as a target trait in breeding strategies, even with a limited number of candidates. Five genes of CYP51A1, PPP1R16B, NTHL1, TSC2, and PKD1 have been identified in dairy cows based on genome-wide association studies (GWAS) based on direct daily methane measurements, which have been identified as candidate and effective genes for methane production. In fact, the purpose of this study is to review the studies and reports in the field of genetics and breeding of livestock in relation to the reduction of methane production and also to introduce traits for methane phenotypic measurement. As a result, it is hoped that with the development of molecular genetic technologies and the integration of genomic data with animal phenotypic data, breeding strategies were developed to further identify controlling genomic loci as well as biological pathways affecting methane production; to witness breeding and genetic improvement of livestock in relation to reduced methane production.

Keywords

References

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