Quick answer: Two technologies are cutting greenhouse gases from livestock in rich countries: feed additives, such as the one developed by DSM, that can reduce methane from cattle by up to about 30%, and biogas plants, such as those run by Brightmark in the United States, that turn manure into renewable natural gas (illuminem). In Mozambique, where most cattle graze on open range, feed additives are hard to use. Small biogas digesters are the more practical option, because they give farm families cooking gas and fertilizer as well as cutting emissions.
Why livestock methane matters
Cattle digest grass with the help of microbes in their stomachs, and that process releases methane, a greenhouse gas that traps far more heat than carbon dioxide over the short term. Manure stored in wet piles or lagoons releases more methane. That is why livestock is a large share of farming's climate footprint worldwide.
Technology 1: methane-cutting feed additives
Feed additives are small amounts of a compound mixed into a cow's daily feed that block part of the methane-producing process in the stomach. Studies and company data put the reduction at up to about 30% for dairy cattle.
The catch for Mozambique: the additive has to be eaten every day, in a measured ration. That fits dairies and feedlots, where animals are fed by people. It does not fit most Mozambican herds, which graze on communal land and are kept as savings and for draft power. For now, this is a technology for commercial operations, not smallholders.
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Technology 2: biogas from manure
A biogas digester is a sealed tank or bag where manure (and sometimes kitchen waste) breaks down without air. The process produces gas, mostly methane, that can be piped to a stove or lamp, and a liquid slurry that makes good fertilizer.
In the United States, companies like Brightmark build large plants that clean the gas and sell it as renewable natural gas. In rural Africa, the useful scale is much smaller: a family digester fed with the manure of a few cattle.
Why it fits Mozambique better:
- It replaces firewood and charcoal. Cooking with wood and charcoal drives tree cutting around towns and cities. Biogas reduces it.
- It returns nutrients to the soil. The slurry is a ready-made fertilizer for vegetable gardens and fields.
- It captures methane that manure would release anyway, turning a climate problem into fuel.
- It improves health, because cooking with gas produces far less smoke in the house than wood or charcoal.
The limits: a digester needs a steady supply of manure and water every day, which works best where cattle are kept close to the house at least part of the time. It also has an upfront cost and needs basic maintenance, so it spreads fastest with financing and local technicians.
Other climate-smart livestock practices
- Better feed and grazing management: healthier, better-fed animals produce more milk and meat per unit of methane.
- Fewer, more productive animals: reduces pressure on grazing land.
- Water points and shade: help herds through hotter, drier seasons.
- Animal health services: vaccines and treatment reduce losses, which are a waste of everything the animal ate.
This article is part of our guide to climate-smart agriculture in Mozambique.
Frequently asked questions
How much can feed additives reduce cattle methane?
Up to about 30% for dairy cattle, according to company and study data, when the additive is fed every day.
What is a biogas digester?
A sealed tank or bag where manure breaks down without air, producing gas for cooking or light and a slurry that can be used as fertilizer.
Is biogas useful for small farms in Africa?
Yes, where a family keeps a few cattle near the house and has water available: it gives cooking gas, cuts the use of firewood and charcoal, and produces fertilizer.
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