Review on the Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Production and Genetic Diversity

  Mulata Hayelom Adhena

Abstract A comprehensive review on the impact of climate change on livestock production and genetic diversity is reviewed. Biological diversity is vitally important for every sphere of human existence and provides us with a vast range of products and services. Biodiversity and climate change are closely linked and each impacts upon the other. Climate change will further exacerbate the effects of other stressors and is likely to become the dominant direct driver of biodiversity loss by the end of this century. There was acceleration in the loss of the genetic (crop & domestic animals) and cultural diversity already occurring in agriculture as a result of globalization. A 2.5° C rise in global temperature would determine major losses: between 20 and 30 per cent of all plant and animal species assessed could face a high risk of extinction. Globally, human population is expected to increase from around 6.5 billion today to 9.2 billion by 2050. A high genetic richness means a greater ability for some of the individuals to adapt to changes in the environment. Sixteen per cent of animal genetic resources (AnGR) have been lost over the last 100 years. One of the most evident and important effects of climate change on livestock production is mediated through changes in feed resources, water supply and diseases outbreak. For, Bos indicus water intake increases from about 3 kg per kg DM intake at 10 °C ambient temperature, to 5 kg at 30°C, and to about 10 kg at 35°C. Changes in temperature also compromise the quantity and quality of forage. Future utilization of AnGR in climate change adaptation, or for other purposes, requires that the relevant resources have not been lost.

Keywords- Climate Change, Livestock Production, Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR)

Unique Identification Number - IJEDR1602060
Page Number(s) - 336-339
Pubished in - Volume 4 | Issue 2 | April 2016
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) -   
Publisher - IJEDR (ISSN - 2321-9939)

  Mulata Hayelom Adhena,   "Review on the Impact of Climate Change on Livestock Production and Genetic Diversity", International Journal of Engineering Development and Research (IJEDR), ISSN:2321-9939, Volume.4, Issue 2, pp.336-339, April 2016, Available at :http://www.ijedr.org/papers/IJEDR1602060.pdf