Agricultural Economics Research Review
Year : 2021, Volume : 34, Issue : conf
First page : ( 232) Last page : ( 232)
Print ISSN : 0971-3441. Online ISSN : 0974-0279.

Sustainability of livestock agriculture in Punjab: Trade-off between lower emissions and higher productivity

Kashish*, Kataria P

Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana-141 004

*Corresponding author: kashish-aes@pau.edu

Online Published on 16 March, 2022.

Abstract

The study, based on primary data from 180 mixed farms with a herd size of 1064, was undertaken to take stock of the methane emission from dairying. The analysis focused on comparing the different diary species in terms of their methane emission concerning their milk yield, and it established the supremacy of crossbred cows as being the most environmentally friendly with the carbon footprint of 681.6 g CO₂-e/kg milk, concerning 836.1 g CO₂e/kg milk for buffalo, and 900.9 g CO₂-e/kg milk for an indigenous cow. The study leaves a word of caution against advocating the switch to crossbred cattle as has been generally done in the past. Rather, the efforts may be directed towards the productivity enhancement of low methane-emitting indigenous cattle. The long-term solution for enhancing the sustainability of livestock production systems lies in lowering their contribution to methane emission.

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