Greenhouse gas production by ruminants in New Zealand: a serious
problem, or just hot air?
P.R. Van Gardingen
MAF Technology, P.O. Box 24, Lincoln, New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1991, 51: 35-40
Methane and nitrous oxide produced by farmed ruminants may cause
over one third of the potential greenhouse warming which can be
attributed to New Zealand. This is a result of high populations of
domestic ruminants (mainly sheep and cattle), and the large warming
potential of methane and nitrous oxide. New Zealand's total greenhouse
gas production is an insignificant component of the global total, but
this fact cannot be used as a reason to ignore New Zealand's
contribution. International negotiations have commenced with the aim of
producing a treaty to limit global greenhouse gas production by
ruminants in New Zealand, and identifies areas needing further research.
It concludes that; (1) the accuracy of estimate of greenhouse gas
emissions from agriculture needs to be improved; (2) technology to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ruminants should be developed for,
and applied to, New Zealand farming systems; and (3) that equitable
methods of implementing limitation policies need to be investigated.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Ruminants; methane; nitrous oxide; greenhouse effect; global
warming; New Zealand
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
