‘There is no bigger problem than climate change. The threat is quite simple, it’s a threat to our civilization’. This statement was made by Sir David King, until December 2007 Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government.

The total contribution (both direct and indirect) of agriculture is estimated to be between 17 and 32% of all global, human-induced greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), with direct emissions of methane from livestock estimated to contribute around 7%. Much emphasis has thus been placed on trying to decrease methane emissions, yet the Smith et al (2008) identified much greater potential for mitigation of total GHG emissions from livestock production associated with management of grazing land than from decreasing methane production.