Estimation of CH4 Emissions and Global Warming Potential of Marmara Region Small Livestock Sector with 2019 Refinement IPCC Tier-2 Method

Year 2025, Volume: 35 Issue: 3, 403 - 414, 30.09.2025

Büşra Yaylı , İlker Kılıç

https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1617046

Abstract

Livestock production is predominantly conducted in intensive farming operations, where large-scale production poses significant challenges related to waste management and environmental pollution. The Marmara Region represents a critical area in Türkiye where intensive animal feeding operations are widely practised. In contrast, goat and sheep farming in Türkiye generally rely on pasture-based or semi-intensive systems. This study aims to estimate methane (CH4) emissions from small ruminant farming in the Marmara Region over the past 20 years and to assess the resulting carbon footprint to evaluate its impact on global warming. Methane emissions were calculated using the Tier-2 methodology, incorporating the specific characteristics of the region and the general practices of small ruminant farming. Gross energy (GE) and methane emission factors (EF) were derived accordingly. For sheep, the gross energy was calculated as 22.5 MJ head-1 year-1, the methane emission factor from enteric fermentation (EFE) was 9.9 kg CH4 head-1 year-1 and methane emissions from manure management (EFM) amounted to 4.3 kg CH4 head-1year-1. Similarly, for goats, the GE was determined to be 24.6 MJ head-1 year-1, while the EFE, and EFM were, 8.9 kg CH4 head-1 year-1, and 4.4 kg CH4 head-1 year-1, respectively. The study found that CH4 emission rates increased proportionally with the number of animals. To determine the carbon footprint resulting from CH4 emissions, CO2-equivalent values established by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were applied. Consequently, Balıkesir and Çanakkale emerged as the cities with the largest carbon footprints from small ruminant farming within the Marmara Region.

Keywords

Enteric fermentation , Carbon footprint , Goat , Manure management , Sheep

References

• Atac, F. E., & Burcu, H. (2014). The importance of hair goats in Turkey. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 4(4), 364-369.
• Ayinla, R. A., Alao, O., Adesoji, S., Ayinla, R. A., & Olawuyi, S. O. (2024). Perceived effects of climate change on farm income: Insights from smallholder arable crops farmers in south-west Nigeria. Yuzuncu Yil University Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 34(4), 608-620. https://doi.org/10.29133/yyutbd.1501494
• Dinç, S. Ö., Künili, İ. E., & Çolakoğlu, F. (2022). Impact of climate change process on sustainable and safe food production. Journal of Agricultural Faculty of Bursa Uludag University, 36(2), 447-460. https://doi.org/10.20479/bursauludagziraat.994886
• Dunkley, C. S., Fairchild, B. D., Ritz, C. W., Kiepper, B. H., & Lacy, M.P. (2015). Carbon footprint of poultry production farms in South Georgia: A case study. Poultry Science Association, 24, 73-79. https://doi.org/10.3382/japr/pfu005
• Eshel, G., Shepon, A., Makov, T., & Milo, R. (2014). Land, irrigation water, greenhouse gas, and reactive nitrogen burdens of meat, eggs, and dairy production in the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(33), 11996-12001. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1402183111
• European Commission, (2023). 2050 long-term strategy. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en . Access date: 25.09.2024.
• FAO, (2009). Global agriculture towards 2050. https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/docs/Issues_papers/HLEF2050_Global_Agriculture.pdf . Access date: 03.09.2024.
• Gerber, P. J., Steinfeld, H., Henderson, B., Mottet, A., Opio, C., Dijkman, J., Falcucci, A., & Tempio, G. (2013). Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock: A Global Assessment of Emissions and Mitigation Opportunities. FAO, Rome.
• Hur, S. J., Kim, J. M., Yim, D. G., Yoon, Y., Lee, S. S., & Jo, C. (2023). Impact of livestock industry on climate change: Case study in South Korea—A review. Animal Bioscience, 37(3), 405. https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.23.0256
• IPCC, (2006). Guidelines for national Greenhouse Gas Inventories. https://www.ipccnggip.iges.or.jp/public/ 2006gl/ . Access date: 07.10.2024
• Raihan, A. (2024). The interrelationship amid carbon emissions, tourism, economy, and energy use in Brazil. Carbon Research, 3(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44246-024-00147-8
• Rojas-Downing, M. M., Nejadhashemi, A. P., Harrigan, T., & Woznicki, S. A. (2017). Climate change and livestock: Impacts, adaptation, and mitigation. Climate risk management, 16, 145-163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crm.2017.02.001
• Scafetta, N. (2024). Impacts and risks of “realistic” global warming projections for the 21st century. Geoscience Frontiers, 15(2), 101774. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsf.2023.101774
• Shukla, P., Skea, J., Reisinger, A., Slade, R., Fradera, R., Pathak, M., Khourdajie, A., Belkacemi, M., van Diemen, R., Hasija, A., Lisboa, G., Luz, S., Malley, J., McCollum, D., Some, S., (eds.), P.V. (2022). IPCC, 2022: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Cambridge University Press.
• Siddiqui, S. A., Gadge, A. S., Hasan, M., Rahayu, T., Povetkin, S. N., Fernando, I., & Castro-Muñoz, R. (2024). Future opportunities for products derived from black soldier fly (BSF) treatment as animal feed and fertilizer-A systematic review. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 26(12), 30273-30354. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04673-8
• Taşkın, T., & Kandemir, Ç. (2022). Marmara bölgesinde yerli ve kültür koyun ırklarının mevcut durumu. Doğanın Sesi, 5(9), 17-33.
• Thornton, P. K., Boone, R. B., & Ramírez Villegas, J. (2015). Climate change impacts on livestock. CCAFS Working Paper.
• TUIK, (2024). Livestock Statistics. Access date: 3.10.2024.
• UN, (2024). United Nations, Population. www.un.org. Access date: 19.03.2024
• Uzabacı, E., & Üstüner, H. (2023). Investigation of small ruminant and cattle livestock in the Marmara Region by simple correspondence analysis. Harran University Journal of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 12(2), 209-215. https://doi.org/10.31196/huvfd.1364289
• Williams, J. (2024). Contribution of livestock farming to environmental pollution in China. Journal of Animal Health, 4(1), 43-53. https://doi.org/10.47604/jah.2510
• Xu, X., Sharma, P., Shu, S., Lin, T. S., Ciais, P., Tubiello, F. N., Smith, P., Campbell, N., & Jain, A. K. (2021). Global greenhouse gas emissions from animal-based foods are twice those of plant-based foods. Nature Food, 2(9), 724-732.
• Yaylı, B. (2019). Calculation of Carbon And Water Footprints of Three Broiler Operations in Bursa Region And Determination Of Their Environmental Sustainabilities (Master's thesis, Bursa Uludag University (Türkiye)).
• Yaylı, B., & Kılıç, I. (2020). Estimation of global warming potential by Tier-1 method of dairy cattle farms. International Journal of Biosystems Engineering, 1(2), 79-86.