Methane Production from Different Manure Management Strategies
Manure management contributes 1% of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The potential for methane production varies across species and management systems. This fact sheet explores different manure management strategies and their relative methane production.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture supported the development of this fact sheet.
Key Scientific Literature:
CDPHE. 2024. 2023 Colorado Statewide Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: Updated Final Release. Available at: https://cdphe.colorado.gov/environment/air-pollution/climate-change/GHG-inventory. Accessed May 5, 2025
Dore, S., Deverel, S. J., Christen, N. (2022). A vermifiltration system for low methane emissions and high nutrient removal at a California dairy. Bioresource Technology Reports, 18: 101044.
EPA. (2024). Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA 430R-24004.
Montes, F., Meinen, R., Dell, C., Rotz, A., Hristov, A. N., Oh, J., Waghorn, G., Gerber, P. J., Henderson, B., Makkar, H. P. S., Dijkstra, J. (2013). SPECIAL TOPICS — Mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from animal operations: II. A review of manure management mitigation options. Journal of Animal Science, 91: 5070–5094.