Environmental Studies in Animal Production

Environmental research in animal production addresses the balance between meeting growing demands for meat, milk, eggs and fibre and protecting natural resources, climate and public health. Central concerns include greenhouse-gas emissions from enteric fermentation and manure, nutrient losses to air and water, and land-use change. Advances in genomics, precision monitoring and feeding have been combined with life-cycle assessment to quantify impacts and guide mitigation. Integrated strategies span dietary reformulation, anaerobic digestion of manure for renewable energy, improved grazing and housing designs, and adoption of low-emission breeds. Simultaneously, assessments of water scarcity, eutrophication and acidification inform trade-offs among production systems. Together, these studies underpin region-specific portfolios of measures—from precision livestock farming to circular bioeconomy approaches—that reduce environmental burdens while sustaining rural livelihoods and food security.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Priority investment zones for climate-resilient livestock systems have been identified across low- and middle-income countries by integrating socio-economic and mitigation‐potential indicators. Analysis shows that a combined emphasis on improved grazing management, targeted feed supplementation and institutional support can yield simultaneous gains in food-system resilience and greenhouse-gas reduction, particularly in South Asia, Latin America and parts of Africa. Another synthesis reviewed adoption, productivity and livelihood outcomes of improved ruminant feed options for smallholder farmers. It found that while many feeding trials improve animal performance, evidence of sustained adoption and broader socio-economic benefits remains limited, pointing to the need for integrated research on farmer decision-making, extension services and market linkages.

Environmental Studies in Animal Production publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in environmental studies in animal production across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Life cycle assessment (LCA): A method to quantify environmental impacts of a product or system across all stages from resource extraction to disposal.

Enteric fermentation: Microbial breakdown of feed in the digestive tract of ruminants, producing methane as a by-product.

Anaerobic digestion: Biological conversion of organic matter under oxygen-free conditions to produce biogas and a nutrient-rich digestate.

Greenhouse-gas emission intensity: The amount of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of product or functional output (e.g., per kilogram of meat or milk).

Precision livestock farming (PLF): Use of sensors and data analytics to monitor individual animals and optimize feeding, health and environmental conditions in real time.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR): The mass of feed required to produce a unit of animal weight gain, indicating feeding efficiency and influencing environmental burdens.

References

1. Priority areas for investment in more sustainable and climate-resilient livestock systems. Nature Sustainability (2023).
2. A scoping review of feed interventions and livelihoods of small-scale livestock keepers. Nature Plants (2020).
3. A systematic literature review of Life Cycle Assessments on primary pig production: Impacts, comparisons, and mitigation areas. Sustainable Production and Consumption (2023).
4. Environmental life cycle assessment of Finnish broiler chicken production – Focus on climate change and water scarcity impacts. Journal of Cleaner Production (2023).
5. Environmental Impacts of Pig and Poultry Production: Insights From a Systematic Review. Frontiers in Veterinary Science (2021).