title: MitiGate; an online meta-analysis database for quantification of mitigation strategies for enteric methane emissions.
abstract: The body of peer-reviewed papers on enteric methane mitigation strategies in ruminants is rapidly growing and allows for better estimation of the true effect of each strategy though the use of meta-analysis methods. Here we present the development of an online database of measured methane mitigation strategies called MitiGate, currently comprising 412 papers. The database is accessible through an online user-friendly interface that allows data extraction with various levels of aggregation on one hand and data-uploading for submission to the database allowing for future refinement and updates of mitigation estimates as well as providing easy access to relevant data for integration into modelling efforts or policy recommendations. To demonstrate and verify the usefulness of the MitiGate database those studies where methane emissions were expressed per unit of intake (293 papers resulting in 845 treatment comparisons) were used in a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis of the current database estimated the effect size of each of the mitigation strategies as well as the associated variance and measure of heterogeneity. Currently, under-representation of certain strategies, geographic regions and long term studies are the main limitations in providing an accurate quantitative estimation of the mitigation potential of each strategy under varying animal production systems. We have thus implemented the facility for researchers to upload meta-data of their peer reviewed research through a simple input form in the hope that MitiGate will grow into a fully inclusive resource for those wishing to model methane mitigation strategies in ruminants.
authors: Institute for Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, United Kingdom; Cargill Innovation Center Velddriel, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Velddriel, 5334 LD, The Netherlands.
authors: Jolien B
authors: JB
authors: Veneman
authors: Institute for Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, United Kingdom. Electronic address: saetnan@liverpool.ac.uk.
authors: Eli R
authors: ER
authors: Saetnan
authors: Department of Computer Science, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, United Kingdom.
authors: Amanda J
authors: AJ
authors: Clare
authors: Institute for Biological Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, United Kingdom.
authors: Charles J
authors: CJ
authors: Newbold
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D016208:Databases, Factual; D052918:Environmental Restoration and Remediation / Q000379:methods*; D058751:Livestock; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008697:Methane / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D008697:Methane
keywords: Enteric fermentation; Greenhouse gas mitigation; Meta-analysis; Methane; Ruminants