ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the environmental impacts of livestock production with special emphasis on soil quality, nutrient losses as influenced by both grazing and manure management, and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. In addition, the sustainable livestock management and production as well as practices that mitigate GHG emissions under livestock production systems are identified. The chapter highlights the role of global livestock production in GHG emissions and the potential benefits of minimizing environmental and ecological footprints associated with global intensive livestock production sector. Animal production systems will also be affected by climate change policy and the national targets to address GHG emissions, since the livestock production sector is estimated to contribute significantly to agricultural GHG emissions. Reducing the global consumption of livestock products can bring benefits in reducing GHG emissions; however, more research is needed to understand how this goal can be achieved without negative trade-offs in some regions and nutrition security goals.
