Use of methane production data for genetic prediction in beef cattle: A review

Methane (CH₄) is a greenhouse gas that is produced and emitted from ruminant animals through enteric fermentation. Methane production from cattle has an environmental impact and is an energetic inefficiency. In the beef industry, CH₄ production from enteric fermentation impacts all three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic. A variety of factors influence the quantity of CH₄ produced during enteric fermentation, including characteristics of the rumen and feed composition. There are several methodologies available to either quantify or estimate CH₄ production from cattle, all with distinct advantages and disadvantages. Methodologies include respiration calorimetry, the sulfur-hexafluoride tracer technique, infrared spectroscopy, prediction models, and the GreenFeed system. Published studies assess the accuracy of the various methodologies and compare estimates from different methods. There are advantages and disadvantages of each technology as they relate to the use of these phenotypes in genetic evaluation systems. Heritability and variance components of CH₄ production have been estimated using the different CH₄ quantification methods. Agreement in both the amounts of CH₄ emitted and heritability estimates of CH₄ emissions between various measurement methodologies varies in the literature. Using greenhouse gas traits in selection indices along with relevant output traits could provide producers with a tool to make selection decisions on environmental sustainability while also considering productivity. The objective of this review was to discuss factors that influence CH₄ production, methods to quantify CH₄ production for genetic evaluation, and genetic parameters of CH₄ production in beef cattle.