By Milliam Murigi
Essential oils have long been used in perfumes, skincare, and aromatherapy. But did you know that these oils could also help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock?
According to Dr. Ehsan Parand, a researcher at Wageningen Livestock Research, scientists are exploring how aromatic plant extracts, commonly known for their soothing scents, might be added to livestock feed to help mitigate methane emissions, one of the most potent greenhouse gases contributing to global warming.
Methane from ruminant animals such as cows and sheep is responsible for a significant share of agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions, making it a major target for reduction in global climate strategies. These efforts form part of a wider transition toward more sustainable livestock systems, where nutritional innovations are expected to play a key role in achieving future emission goals.
Speaking at the International Greenhouse Gas and Animal Agriculture Conference (GGAA 2025) in Nairobi, Kenya, during a session on dietary strategies to reduce ruminant greenhouse-gas emissions, Dr. Parand presented results from an evaluation of a feed supplement containing essential oils, tannins, and bioflavonoids on intake, milk yield and composition, and enteric methane production in dairy cows. The study fits within a wider global effort to understand how nutritional approaches can mitigate methane emissions from livestock.
“We are investigating a range of nutritional options to lower enteric methane emissions in line with global greenhouse-gas reduction ambitions,” he said. “Essential oils are one of the approaches under evaluation.”
Essential oils, derived from a wide range of plants and herbs, are known for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In ruminant nutrition, they are being studied for their potential to alter rumen fermentation patterns, suppress methane-producing microbes, and improve overall feed efficiency.
However, the diversity of essential oil sources and extraction methods can lead to large differences in composition and activity. Understanding how these natural compounds interact with the rumen microbiome is an important step toward predicting and controlling their effects in different feeding systems.
Preliminary results from the Wageningen study showed that, at the inclusion rate tested, the supplement had a small but significant effect. Dr. Parand emphasized that further research is needed to fully understand the optimal dosage, mechanisms of action, consistency, and on-farm applicability of such products.
“Because essential oils are plant-derived compounds, their natural origin is an advantage, but the variation in their composition remains a challenge,” Dr. Parand explained. “Ensuring consistency through proper standardization is essential for this type of product.”
He added that essential oils and other feed additives aimed at reducing enteric methane may also play a complementary role when combined with other mitigation strategies, such as improved feed formulation, animal breeding for low methane intensity, and manure management. Integrating multiple approaches could offer more reliable and sustainable pathways toward reducing livestock emissions globally.
Although essential oils hold promise as part of broader strategies to make livestock production more climate-smart, challenges remain around standardization, efficacy, and long-term effects.
“This area of research continues to receive significant attention,” he said. “Our work focuses on refining nutritional strategies that reduce enteric methane emissions while supporting animal health, welfare, and performance, and ensuring on-farm applicability.”
