About the Project


The aim of the project

MitiMetCattle is scientific research project and belongs to program “IDEAS” which is founded by Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia in the group of Biomedical sciences. The main problem that the project is trying to solve is methane pollution from the enteric fermentation of dairy cattle through nutritional modulation of cows’metabolism. Namely, metan as greenhouse gas (GHG) contribute significantly to global warming which may provoke irreversible environmental changes. Compared to other livestock subsectors, cattle industry has major contribution to methane production with GHG effect. Despite the significant impact of cattle industry on CH4 production, there is still no widely accepted strategy for reducing CH4 emissions from cattle farms that would meet all requirements (significant reduction of GHG effect, economic justification, and beneficial impact on productivity). Also, farmers’ awareness of this problem is still low. The main aim of the project is to develop a methodology for an integrative approach to the analysis of rumen and overall metabolism, methane emission and milk yield, including molecular mechanisms that are crucial for metabolic turnover to greater milk production with reduced methane emission. In the frame of the project four innovative nutrition strategies for CH4 mitigation will be evaluated using developed methodology and statistical tool for prediction of methane emission per milk unit using easily detectable blood variables will be developed. 

The Ambition of the Project

The ambition of the project is to develop a new point of view on the assessment of nutrition strategies, which could lead to a significant reduction in CH4 emissions because the current approaches are mainly partial and not comprehensive.

Nutrition strategies which will be tested are designed by the project team and the best chosen strategy can be used in the future for mitigation of CH4 emission from the dairy cattle farms.

Dissemination of the Project

Focus of project dissemination will be promoting project results among scientific community but also among farmers, large animal practice veterinarians, agronomists, and state administration representatives who are the key point for sustainable solution of methane pollution problem from dairy cow industry.