Técnicas nutricionais e de manejo para aumentar a eficiência de produção e reduzir as emissões de metano na pecuária: uma revisão bibliográfica

Abstract

The increase in the global population requires growth in the production of food of animal origin, making Brazilian cattle production strategic for the global economy. However, its expansion is associated with significant emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), especially methane (CH₄), resulting from enteric fermentation and the decomposition of manure. CH₄ has a high global warming potential and represents energy losses, impacting feed efficiency and productive performance. A large portion of national livestock production is based on extensive systems, predominantly on Brachiaria pastures, whose variable nutritional quality contributes to higher methane emissions per unit of product. Nutritional and management strategies are essential to reduce emissions. Supplementation with higher-energy ingredients, lipids, tannins, and ionophores, as well as adjustments in the proportion of fermentable carbohydrates, modulate the ruminal microbiota and favor less methanogenic fermentation pathways, reducing CH₄ emissions. In addition, pasture management, the introduction of legumes with secondary metabolites, and improvements in zootechnical indices, including the genetic selection of more efficient animals, promote reductions in emissions per unit of product, reconciling productivity and sustainability. Integrated systems, such as crop-livestock integration and silvopastoral systems, enhance GHG mitigation by increasing productive efficiency and contributing to carbon sequestration. Therefore, this study analyzes the contribution of cattle production to global warming, focusing on methane mitigation, by evaluating nutritional, genetic, and management strategies that reduce emission intensity without compromising animal performance, promoting sustainable and environmentally responsible production systems.