SUSTAINABILITY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2026 85 the top priorities for policymakers, consumers, and stakeholders across the animal production chain. Jason Jeong-Hoon Kim, Global Sustainability Lead for Ruminants at Cargill, explains the impact of methane on the climate system and why it has become a priority target: “Methane, the second-largest contributor of greenhouse gases, originates largely from enteric fermentation of ruminants and is expected to rise with increasing global demand for beef and milk. Methane has a high global warming potential over short timeframes — more than 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over 20 years. However, methane breaks down relatively quickly in the atmosphere, with a lifespan of about 12 years. Its warming effect peaks early and then declines sharply, nearly disappearing within a few decades. CO₂ doesn’t break down quickly; instead, it accumulates in the atmosphere. Even after 100 years, CO₂ emissions still contribute to ongoing warming. Therefore, while CO₂ reduction is essential for long-term climate stability, methane mitigation can yield rapid climate benefits, making it a strategic target for short-term climate action.” Drawing attention to the role of agriculture in global methane emissions, Steve Meller, CEO and Founder of CH4 Global, states: “Agriculture is the largest contributor of methane emissions globally, which is why methane emissions from animal production have become increasingly important to governments around the world. Enteric methane is the largest contributor.” Gianluigi Sgarbi, COO/CFO and Partner at Vetos Europe, highlights consumer expectations and the perceived environmental role of livestock farming: “Even if the dairy and beef cattle sectors play a marginal role in the carbon footprint pressure, as shown by precise and consistent numbers at world level, the consumers appreciate that their food is as sustainable as possible or, better, that improves the environment. Specifically, approximately 14.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are attributable to livestock production, with fluctuations depending on the continent considered, and therefore the system and level of development of its livestock farming. Of this 14.5%, a large portion derives from rumen methane emissions, which represent over 39% of the total (FAO 2023). Methane is considered a stronger pollutant than carbon dioxide even if this theorem is now changing with new metrics that consider the atmospheric lifetime, 10 years for methane versus 1000 years for carbon dioxide. However, if it is possible to make dairy and beef cattle farming more virtuous, it must be done, and reducing methane is an easy and effective way.” STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING METHANE IN RUMINANTS Today, the most widely accepted strategy within the livestock industry for mitigating methane emissions is focusing on nutrition. Ruminant feeding strategies stand out as a primary solution area due to their potential for rapid impact, feasibility in the field, and their ability to be integrated alongside production efficiency. Pointing out that managing methane emissions from cows could be part of the solution to mitigate global warming in the short-term, Jason JeongHoon Kim shares the following regarding methane reduction strategies: “Diverse strategies have been studied to reduce emissions of methane from ruminants, including increased production efficiency, nutritional modifications, genetic selection, vaccination, wearable technologies, and microbiome maJason Jeong-Hoon Kim Cargill
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