Climate-Smart Dairy Farming: Sustainable Strategies for Productivity, Welfare and Emissions Reduction
Rupal Pathak *
Livestock Farm Complex, College of Veterinary Science and AH Anjora Durg, DSVCKV, Durg Chhattisgarh, India.
Raina Doneria
Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science and AH Anjora, Durg Chhattisgarh, India.
Mehtab Singh Parmar
Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary Science and AH Anjora Durg Chhattisgarh, DSVCKV, Durg Chhattisgarh, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The global dairy sector faces the dual challenge of sustaining and enhancing productivity to meet rising demand for animal-sourced foods while simultaneously reducing its contribution to climate change. Dairy farming is a significant source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, principally methane from enteric fermentation, nitrous oxide from manure management, and carbon dioxide from energy use and land-use change. Climate-smart dairy farming (CSDF) has emerged as an integrative paradigm that seeks to reconcile these competing demands by optimising productivity, safeguarding animal welfare, and reducing emissions per unit of output. This review synthesises the current state of knowledge across five interrelated domains: enteric methane mitigation, manure management, carbon sequestration through land and pasture management, productivity enhancement via precision technologies and genetic improvement, and the adaptation of animal welfare practices to a warming climate. Evidence from peer-reviewed literature and authoritative reports indicates that a range of dietary, genetic, technological, and managerial interventions can collectively reduce GHG intensity by 20–50% without compromising milk yield. However, the implementation of these strategies requires coherent policy frameworks, financial incentives, and region-specific adaptation. The review further highlights that animal welfare and climate outcomes are frequently synergistic: improved health, thermal comfort, and nutritional management simultaneously reduce emissions and increase productive efficiency. Despite significant advances, knowledge gaps persist regarding the long-term efficacy of mitigation measures, trade-offs between different strategies, and the scaling of interventions across diverse farming systems globally. The review concludes that climate-smart dairy farming constitutes a viable, evidence-based pathway towards a low-emissions dairy sector capable of feeding a growing global population within planetary boundaries.