Assessment of GHG Emission from Dairy Cattle Manure Management Practices in Rural and Urban Dairy Production in Enderta District and Mekelle City, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study was aimed at the assessment of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from manure management in rural and urban dairy cattle production in Enderta and Mekelle, northern Ethiopia. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and greenhouse gas emission was estimated using IPCC Tier II methodology. Dairy herd structure, feed resources, and manure management practices significantly differed (p<0.05) between urban and rural dairy production. Urban dairy production had greater methane emissions from manure management practices. The mean methane emissions from manure management practice were 4.96± (±.28) kg of CH₄/head of dairy cattle/year in rural dairy production and 8.30 (±.55) kg of CH₄/head of dairy cattle/year in urban dairy production. Both direct and indirect nitrous oxide emissions from manure management practices did not significantly (P>0.05) differ between the dairy cattle production. The mean direct nitrous oxide emissions were 0.11 (±.011) kg of N₂O/head of dairy cattle/year in rural dairy production and 0.11 (±0.011) kg of N₂O/head of dairy cattle/year in urban dairy production, while the mean indirect nitrous oxide emissions were 0.067 (±.006) kg of N₂O/head of dairy cattle/year in rural dairy production and 0.07 (±.006) kg of N₂O/head of dairy cattle/year in urban dairy production. This study indicated that variations in dairy cattle herd structure, feed resources and manure management practices producing higher methane emissions from dairy manure management in urban dairy production.