Czech J. Anim. Sci., X:X | DOI: 10.17221/116/2025-CJAS

Mitigating methane in dairy cattle: Integrated strategies and the evolving role of precision livestock farmingReview

Eva Mixtajová ORCID...¹, Joana Nery ORCID...², Radovan Kasarda ORCID...¹, Muzaffer Denlí ORCID...³, Achille Schiavone ORCID...², Alkan Çağlı ORCID...³, José Francisco Pérez ORCID...⁴, Hasan Hüseyin İpçak ORCID...³, José Luis Repetto ORCID...⁴, Stanislava Drotárová ORCID...⁵, Cecilia Cajarville ORCID...⁴

¹ Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Project Management Office, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

² Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, TO, Italy

³ Institute of Nutrition and Genomics, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic

⁴ Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Türkiye

⁵ Department of Animal and Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona – UAB, Barcelona, Spain

Modern dairy farming faces the dual challenge of meeting global food demands while mitigating its environmental impact, particularly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as methane (CH₄), a potent contributor to climate change. This review explores the role of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies in monitoring and reducing CH₄ emissions from dairy cattle. We evaluate state-of-the-art methods, including direct monitoring (e.g. respiratory chambers, GreenFeed systems) and indirect approaches (e.g. infrared milk spectroscopy, AI-driven analytics), alongside mitigation strategies such as nutritional optimisation, genetic selection, and ruminal additives. PLF emerges as a transformative tool, integrating real-time data on animal health, feed efficiency, and environmental conditions to optimise management practices and reduce emissions per unit of milk produced. By synthesising current research, we highlight the potential of PLF to reconcile productivity with sustainability, offering scalable solutions for the dairy sector. Critical gaps in real-time CH₄ monitoring and farm-level implementation are identified, underscoring the need for further innovation. This review provides a roadmap for aligning dairy production with global climate goals while ensuring food security for the growing population.

Keywords: emission monitoring; mitigation strategies; rumen fermentation; ruminant emissions; sustainability

Received: July 28, 2025; Revised: October 22, 2025; Accepted: January 6, 2026; Prepublished online: January 28, 2026