Environment
This theme is about climate change, pollution, and biodiversity. Livestock contributes to climate change and pollutes water and air, because of emissions related to feed production and to manure, and because of enteric fermentation, which causes methane emissions from the gut. Livestock is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gases.
Options for improvement are explored, such as coupling of livestock to crop farming and agroforestry (including trees in a farming system to sequester carbon and to improve biodiversity), breeding cattle to fit into alternative farming systems, and the practice of nature protection by farmers. We call this living labs, the practice as a laboratory.
Research themes
Livelihood
We study the social and economic aspects of animal production, in tropical countries and in Europe. Our work focuses on how livestock can help to adapt farms and food systems to climate change.
Animal welfare
This theme deals with the interaction between animals and their environments, and with the impact this has on animals. Keeping livestock has ethical challenges, for example animal welfare, or the ethical issues of exploiting animals for our own benefit.
Environment
Livestock contributes to climate change and pollutes water and air, because of emissions from feed production and manure, and because of enteric fermentation in the gut, which creates methane gas. Livestock is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gases.
Follow us on social media
Stay up-to-date and learn more through our social channel.