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Ma X, Räisänen SE, Wang K, Amelchanka S, Giller K, Islam MZ, Li Y, Peng R, Reichenbach M, Serviento AM, Sun X, Niu M. Evaluating GreenFeed and respiration chambers for daily and intraday measurements of enteric gaseous exchange in dairy cows housed in tie-stalls. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)01166-4. [PMID: 39343233 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-25246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the GreenFeed (GF) and respiration chambers (RC) for daily and intraday measurements of the enteric gaseous exchange, as well as the metabolic heat production, lying behavior, and feed intake (FI) rate of dairy cows at these 2 respective housing conditions [tie-stall barn (TS) vs. RC] during the summer periods. Sixteen multiparous lactating dairy cows were recruited and arranged in a randomized complete block design with a baseline period established for each cow. Cows were given a basal diet (CON) for a baseline period of 7 d and were then fed a 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP)-containing feed for the subsequent 26 d as experimental period. During both the baseline and the last 7 d of treatment period, gaseous exchanges of each animal were measured in the TS using GF for 8 6-hourly staggered measurements over 3 d, immediately followed by the measurement in RC for 2 d. Corresponding DMI, milk yield, and behavior parameters (e.g., lying behavior and FI rate) in TS and RC were recorded. The correlation coefficients of CH4 and H2 using raw data were 0.84 and 0.85, respectively. For all gases, correlation coefficients between GF and RC on individual cow level decreased when the marginal fixed effects (e.g., inhibitor and breed) were corrected by a mixed model. There were no differences in daily CH4 production or intensity between GF and RC (442 vs. 443 g CH4/d or 16.6 vs. 16.2 g CH4 /kg MY). However, greater CH4 yield was measured by GF than RC (19.0 vs. 17.8 g CH4/kg DMI), driven by a lower DMI (23.3 vs. 24.6 kg/d) when cows were housed in TS sampled by GF compared with cows being housed and sampled in RC. The correlations for CO2 production and O2 consumption were moderate and expected due to the variation associated with the mild heat stress condition during GF measurements in the TS (Thermal humidity index (THI) 56 vs. 68), as indicated by the reduced lying time (-2.1 h/d). At the intraday level, there was an interaction between techniques and hour-of-day for CH4 production, as indicated by the discrepancies in post-prandial CH4 emissions between techniques. In summary, this set of results showed that there were strong positive correlations for CH4 and H2 emissions between GF and RC based on individual cow data. However, such relationship should be interpreted with caution, given the data clustering resulting from the use of inhibitor 3-NOP. On treatment level, these 2 techniques detected similar inhibitor effect on the estimated daily CH4 emissions. The intraday patterns of CH4 and H2 production captured by GF provided a close approximation for those measured by RC. Nevertheless, potential underestimation may occur, especially following fresh feed delivery. For measuring CO2 production and O2 consumption, the GF captured similar intraday variations to those in the RC. However, the estimated daily production and consumption were not directly comparable, which was expected due to the variable thermal conditions during the summer. Further evaluations under the same weather conditions are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Ma
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - S E Räisänen
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - K Wang
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - S Amelchanka
- AgroVet-Strickhof, ETH Zürich, Eschikon 27, 8315 Lindau, Switzerland
| | - K Giller
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - M Z Islam
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Y Li
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - R Peng
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - M Reichenbach
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - A M Serviento
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - X Sun
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland
| | - M Niu
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.
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Oikawa K, Kim M, Terada F, Masaki T, Yasuda Y, Shiroshita Y, Ideo T, Kamiya Y, Suzuki T. Variation among individual beef cattle in methane-to-carbon dioxide ratio measured under on-farm conditions using the sniffer method. Anim Sci J 2024; 95:e13916. [PMID: 38286760 DOI: 10.1111/asj.13916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
This study proposed a method for measuring the methane (CH4 )/carbon dioxide (CO2 ) ratio from individual beef cattle under on-farm conditions and estimated the variance components of the CH4 /CO2 ratio. Gas measurements were conducted using 166 Japanese Black cattle group-housed in pens equipped with individual feed bins. The gas containing the animal's breath was measured individually after concentrate feeding by covering the feed bin with a sheet with sampling inlets. Measurements were performed six times (three consecutive days, twice daily) per individual. Most of the sampled gas contained more than 1000 ppm of the mean background-corrected CO2 , suggesting that the method proposed in this study successfully collected sufficient breath concentration to accurately measure the CH4 /CO2 ratio. The between-animal variance accounted for 31.7% of the total variance in the CH4 /CO2 ratio. The results showed that the gas collection method proposed in this study could be a useful tool for measuring the CH4 /CO2 ratio under on-farm conditions. The variance component obtained from this study will help to establish protocols for generating data for genetic evaluation and performing dietary experiments with sufficient statistical power.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Oikawa
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Minji Kim
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Fuminori Terada
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tatsunori Masaki
- Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasai, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yaichirou Yasuda
- Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasai, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yoshikazu Shiroshita
- Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Asago, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Takahiro Ideo
- Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Asago, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yuko Kamiya
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Tomoyuki Suzuki
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Nasushiobara, Tochigi, Japan
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Methane Emission and Metabolic Status in Peak Lactating Dairy Cows and Their Assessment Via Methane Concentration Profile. ACTA VET-BEOGRAD 2023. [DOI: 10.2478/acve-2023-0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Ruminant husbandry contributes to global methane (CH4) emissions and beside its negative impact on the environment, enteric CH4 emissions cause a loss of gross energy intake in cows. The study is aimed to estimate CH4 emission and metabolic status in dairy cows via the methane concentration profile as a tool for analyzing the CH4 production pattern. The study included eighteen cows whose enteric CH4 emission was measured during three consecutive days in three periods: 2 hours before (P1), 2–4 hours (P2) and 6–8 hours (P3) after the morning feeding. Based on CH4 enteric emissions, cows were divided into two groups (n=6, respectively): HM (average CH4 concentration: 5430.08 ± 365.92 ppm) and LM (average CH4 concentration: 1351.85 ± 205.20 ppm). Following CH4 measurement, on day 3, venous blood was sampled to determine the indicators of the metabolic status. HM cows had significantly higher average CH4 concentrations, maximum and average CH4 peak amplitude than LM cows in all measuring periods (P1-P3), while the number of CH4 peaks tended to be higher in HM than in LM cows in P2. There were no differences in the maximum and average CH4 peak width and average distance among two CH4 peaks between examined groups of cows. HM cows had significantly higher total protein concentrations and significantly lower total bilirubin and NEFA concentrations than LM cows. In conclusion, HM cows have a greater number of eructations and release more CH4 per eructation than LM cows, hence the differences in metabolic status are most likely related to the differences in their liver function.
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Biswas A, Khan A, Luo D, Jonker A. Methane emissions in growing heifers while eating from a feed bin compared with 24-hour emissions and relationship with feeding behavior. JDS COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 3:255-259. [PMID: 36338017 PMCID: PMC9623804 DOI: 10.3168/jdsc.2021-0184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the current study was to determine the relationship of daily CH4 emissions estimated during mealtime compared with measured daily CH4 emissions, and determine the relationship with feeding behavior, in growing heifers fed alfalfa silage in respiration chambers. Data from 8 growing cattle (Hereford × Holstein-Friesian) individually housed in 4 respiration chambers and fed ad libitum alfalfa silage delivered in Insentec feed-bins to record feeding behavior and intake were used. The 4 chambers are linked to 1 analyzer, which measures CH4 in each chamber approximately every 3 min. Each 3-min measurement was expressed as grams per day and averaged per 24 h or per time during a meal. A strong correlation (r = 0.88; determined using Deming regression) was observed between CH4 emissions (g/d) during mealtime (276 ± 22.7 g/d) and measured over 24 h (262 ± 24.0 g/d), without apparent systematic bias. Feeding behavior parameters that were correlated with CH4 yield (g/kg dry matter intake) in the current study were a negative correlation with the number of visits to the feed bin (r = -0.45), average meal size (r = -0.57), and average daily eating rate (r = -0.48). In summary, CH4 measured during meals was similar to 24-h measured CH4 output in growing heifers fed ad libitum alfalfa silage in respiration chambers, and some feeding behavior parameters, based on feed bin visits, explained some of the variation in CH4 yield between animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf Biswas
- AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
- Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Science University, Khulshi-4225, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Ajmal Khan
- AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Dongwen Luo
- AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
| | - Arjan Jonker
- AgResearch Limited, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
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Methane Emissions and Milk Fatty Acid Profiles in Dairy Cows Fed Linseed, Measured at the Group Level in a Naturally Ventilated Housing and Individually in Respiration Chambers. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10061091. [PMID: 32599809 PMCID: PMC7341325 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cows emit the greenhouse gas methane (CH4) as a result of microbial feed digestion. Methane emissions can be reduced by adopting nutritional strategies, such as dietary supplementation of linseed. Additionally, the oil in linseed increases the proportion of favorable fatty acids in milk fat. This study evaluated the effect of linseed on CH4 emission and milk fatty acid composition measured in a group of cows in a naturally ventilated barn and in individual cows in respiration chambers. The substantially higher proportions of favorable fatty acids in the milk of linseed-fed cows were detected in individual milk samples and in the milk of the herd. Therefore, the analysis of bulk milk could be a suitable control instrument for retailers. Visualizing the course of CH4 emissions over a whole day showed slightly lower CH4 values in linseed-supplemented individuals and groups. However, we found no significant reduction of CH4 as a result of linseed supplementation. Feed supplements in concentrations that are effective in reducing CH4 must show whether the reduction potential is comparable when determined at the group and individual levels. Abstract The present study evaluated the effects of linseed supplementation on CH4 emission and milk fatty acid composition in dairy cows measured at the group level in an experimental dairy loose housing using a tracer gas technique and individually in tied stalls and respiration chambers. Cows (2 × 20) were maintained in two separate sections under loose-housing conditions and received a diet supplemented with extruded linseed (L) lipids (29 g·kg−1 dry matter) or a control (C) diet containing corn flour. Subsequently, 2 × 6 cows per dietary group were investigated in a tied-housing system and respiration chambers. Substantially higher proportions of favorable milk fatty acids were recovered in L cows when compared with C cows at the group level, making the analysis of bulk milk a suitable control instrument for retailers. Linseed supplementation resulted in a slightly lower diurnal course of CH4 emission intensity than the control at the group and individual levels. However, we found no more than a trend for a CH4 mitigating effect, unlike in other studies supplementing similar linseed lipid levels. Feed supplements in concentrations that lead to a significant reduction in CH4 emissions must show whether the reduction potential determined at the group and individual levels is comparable.
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Zhao Y, Nan X, Yang L, Zheng S, Jiang L, Xiong B. A Review of Enteric Methane Emission Measurement Techniques in Ruminants. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10061004. [PMID: 32521767 PMCID: PMC7341254 DOI: 10.3390/ani10061004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
To identify relationships between animal, dietary and management factors and the resulting methane (CH4) emissions, and to identify potential mitigation strategies for CH4 production, it is vital to develop reliable and accurate CH4 measurement techniques. This review outlines various methods for measuring enteric CH4 emissions from ruminants such as respiration chambers (RC), sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer, GreenFeed, sniffer method, ventilated hood, facemask, laser CH4 detector and portable accumulation chamber. The advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are discussed. In general, RC, SF6 and ventilated hood are capable of 24 h continuous measurements for each individual animal, providing accurate reference methods used for research and inventory purposes. However, they require high labor input, animal training and are time consuming. In contrast, short-term measurement techniques (i.e., GreenFeed, sniffer method, facemask, laser CH4 detector and portable accumulation chamber) contain additional variations in timing and frequency of measurements obtained relative to the 24 h feeding cycle. However, they are suitable for large-scale measurements under commercial conditions due to their simplicity and high throughput. Successful use of these techniques relies on optimal matching between the objectives of the studies and the mechanism of each method with consideration of animal behavior and welfare. This review can provide useful information in selecting suitable techniques for CH4 emission measurement in ruminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiguang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.Z.); (X.N.); (L.Y.); (S.Z.)
| | - Xuemei Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.Z.); (X.N.); (L.Y.); (S.Z.)
| | - Liang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.Z.); (X.N.); (L.Y.); (S.Z.)
| | - Shanshan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.Z.); (X.N.); (L.Y.); (S.Z.)
| | - Linshu Jiang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Dairy Cow Nutrition, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102206, China
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (B.X.); Tel.: +86-10-8079-8101 (L.J.); +86-10-6281-1680 (B.X.)
| | - Benhai Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; (Y.Z.); (X.N.); (L.Y.); (S.Z.)
- Correspondence: (L.J.); (B.X.); Tel.: +86-10-8079-8101 (L.J.); +86-10-6281-1680 (B.X.)
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Islam M, Lee SS. Advanced estimation and mitigation strategies: a cumulative approach to enteric methane abatement from ruminants. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 2019; 61:122-137. [PMID: 31333869 PMCID: PMC6582924 DOI: 10.5187/jast.2019.61.3.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Methane, one of the important greenhouse gas, has a higher global warming
potential than that of carbon dioxide. Agriculture, especially livestock, is
considered as the biggest sector in producing anthropogenic methane. Among
livestock, ruminants are the highest emitters of enteric methane.
Methanogenesis, a continuous process in the rumen, carried out by archaea either
with a hydrogenotrophic pathway that converts hydrogen and carbon dioxide to
methane or with methylotrophic pathway, which the substrate for methanogenesis
is methyl groups. For accurate estimation of methane from ruminants, three
methods have been successfully used in various experiments under different
environmental conditions such as respiration chamber, sulfur hexafluoride tracer
technique, and the automated head-chamber or GreenFeed system. Methane
production and emission from ruminants are increasing day by day with an
increase of ruminants which help to meet up the nutrient demands of the
increasing human population throughout the world. Several mitigation strategies
have been taken separately for methane abatement from ruminant productions such
as animal intervention, diet selection, dietary feed additives, probiotics,
defaunation, supplementation of fats, oils, organic acids, plant secondary
metabolites, etc. However, sustainable mitigation strategies are not established
yet. A cumulative approach of accurate enteric methane measurement and existing
mitigation strategies with more focusing on the biological reduction of methane
emission by direct-fed microbials could be the sustainable methane mitigation
approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahfuzul Islam
- Ruminant Nutrition and Anaerobe Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea
| | - Sang-Suk Lee
- Ruminant Nutrition and Anaerobe Laboratory, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Sunchon National University, Suncheon 57922, Korea
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Quantification of Methane and Ammonia Emissions in a Naturally Ventilated Barn by Using Defined Criteria to Calculate Emission Rates. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8050075. [PMID: 29772671 PMCID: PMC5981286 DOI: 10.3390/ani8050075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Defined criteria for the application of the CO2 balance method in a naturally ventilated barn provided reliable data. This specification enabled the acquisition and quantification of CH4 and NH3 in a naturally ventilated dairy barn, as well as detecting decreasing NH3 emissions affected by supplementing an Acacia mearnsii condensed tannin extract to a dairy cattle ration. Moreover, long-term measurements were possible and can be used to examine feed-related mitigation strategies at a barn level in the future. Abstract Extensive experimentation on individual animals in respiration chambers has already been carried out to evaluate the potential of dietary changes and opportunities to mitigate CH4 emissions from ruminants. Although it is difficult to determine the air exchange rate of open barn spaces, measurements at the herd level should provide similarly reliable and robust results. The primary objective of this study was (1) to define a validity range (data classification criteria (DCC)) for the variables of wind velocity and wind direction during long-term measurements at barn level; and (2) to apply this validity range to a feeding trial in a naturally cross-flow ventilated dairy barn. The application of the DCC permitted quantification of CH4 and NH3 emissions during a feeding trial consisting of four periods. Differences between the control group (no supplement) and the experimental group fed a ration supplemented with condensed Acacia mearnsii tannins (CT) became apparent. Notably, CT concentrations of 1% and 3% of ration dry matter did not reduce CH4 emissions. In contrast, NH3 emissions decreased 34.5% when 3% CT was supplemented. The data confirm that quantification of trace gases in a naturally ventilated barn at the herd level is possible.
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Temperament and dominance relate to feeding behaviour and activity in beef cattle: implications for performance and methane emissions. Animal 2018; 12:2639-2648. [PMID: 29606168 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731118000617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
In beef cattle, feeding behaviour and activity are associated with feed efficiency and methane (CH4) emissions. This study aimed to understand the underlying traits responsible for the contribution of cattle behaviour to individual differences in feed efficiency, performance and CH4 emissions. A total of 84 steers (530±114 kg BW) of two different breeds (crossbreed Charolais and Luing) were used. The experiment was a 2×2×3 factorial design with breed, basal diets (concentrate v. mixed) and dietary treatments (no additive, calcium nitrate or rapeseed cake) as the main factors. The individual dry matter intake (DMI; kg) was recorded daily and the BW was measured weekly over a 56-day period. Ultrasound fat depth was measured on day 56. Based on the previous data, the indexes average daily gain, food conversion and residual feed intake (RFI) were calculated. The frequency of meals, the duration per visit and the time spent feeding per day were taken as feeding behaviour measures. Daily activity was measured using the number of steps, the number of standing bouts and the time standing per day. Agonistic interactions (including the number of contacts, aggressive interactions, and displacements per day) between steers at the feeders were assessed as indicators of dominance. Temperament was assessed using the crush score test (which measures restlessness when restrained) and the flight speed on release from restraint. Statistical analysis was performed using multivariate regression models. Steers that spent more time eating showed better feed efficiency (P=0.039), which can be due to greater secretion of saliva. Feeding time was longer with the mixed diet (P<0.001), Luings (P=0.009) and dominant steers (P=0.032). Higher activity (more steps) in the pen was associated with poorer RFI, possibly because of higher energy expenditure for muscle activity. Frequent meals contributed to a reduction in CH4 emissions per kg DMI. The meal frequency was higher with a mixed diet (P<0.001) and increased in more temperamental (P=0.003) and dominant (P=0.017) steers. In addition, feed intake was lower (P=0.032) in more temperamental steers. This study reveals that efficiency increases with a longer feeding time and CH4 emissions decrease with more frequent meals. As dominant steers eat more frequently and for longer, a reduction in competition at the feeder would improve both feed efficiency and CH4 emissions. Feed efficiency can also be improved through a reduction in activity. Selection for calmer cattle would reduce activity and increase feed intake, which may improve feed efficiency and promote growth, respectively.
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Patra AK. Recent Advances in Measurement and Dietary Mitigation of Enteric Methane Emissions in Ruminants. Front Vet Sci 2016; 3:39. [PMID: 27243027 PMCID: PMC4873495 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2016.00039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Methane (CH4) emission, which is mainly produced during normal fermentation of feeds by the rumen microorganisms, represents a major contributor to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Several enteric CH4 mitigation technologies have been explored recently. A number of new techniques have also been developed and existing techniques have been improved in order to evaluate CH4 mitigation technologies and prepare an inventory of GHG emissions precisely. The aim of this review is to discuss different CH4 measuring and mitigation technologies, which have been recently developed. Respiration chamber technique is still considered as a gold standard technique due to its greater precision and reproducibility in CH4 measurements. With the adoption of recent recommendations for improving the technique, the SF6 method can be used with a high level of precision similar to the chamber technique. Short-term measurement techniques of CH4 measurements generally invite considerable within- and between-animal variations. Among the short-term measuring techniques, Greenfeed and methane hood systems are likely more suitable for evaluation of CH4 mitigation studies, if measurements could be obtained at different times of the day relative to the diurnal cycle of the CH4 production. Carbon dioxide and CH4 ratio, sniffer, and other short-term breath analysis techniques are more suitable for on farm screening of large number of animals to generate the data of low CH4-producing animals for genetic selection purposes. Different indirect measuring techniques are also investigated in recent years. Several new dietary CH4 mitigation technologies have been explored, but only a few of them are practical and cost-effective. Future research should be directed toward both the medium- and long-term mitigation strategies, which could be utilized on farms to accomplish substantial reductions of CH4 emissions and to profitably reduce carbon footprint of livestock production systems. This review presents recent developments and critical analysis on different measurements and dietary mitigation of enteric CH4 emissions technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amlan K. Patra
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, India
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