scholarly journals A Review of Enteric Methane Emission Measurement Techniques in Ruminants

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1004
Author(s):  
Yiguang Zhao ◽  
Xuemei Nan ◽  
Liang Yang ◽  
Shanshan Zheng ◽  
Linshu Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Emission Measurement ◽  
Accumulation Chamber ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Animal Training ◽  
Enteric Methane

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.

scholarly journals Effect of Mootral—a garlic- and citrus-extract-based feed additive—on enteric methane emissions in feedlot cattle

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 1383-1388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Breanna M Roque ◽  
Henk J Van Lingen ◽  
Hilde Vrancken ◽  
Ermias Kebreab
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Experimental Period ◽  
Feed Additive ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Enteric Methane

Abstract: Enteric methane (CH4) production is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions from livestock globally with beef cattle contributing 5.95% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Various mitigation strategies have been developed to reduce enteric emissions with limited success. In vitro studies have shown a reduction in CH4 emissions when using garlic and citrus extracts. However, there is paucity of data regarding in vivo studies investigating the effect of garlic and citrus extracts in cattle. The objective of this study was to quantitatively evaluate the response of Angus × Hereford cross steers consuming the feed additive Mootral, which contains extracts of both garlic and citrus, on CH4 yield (g/kg dry matter intake [DMI]). Twenty steers were randomly assigned to two treatments: control (no additive) and Mootral supplied at 15 g/d in a completely randomized design with a 2-wk covariate and a 12-wk data collection periods. Enteric CH4 emissions were measured using the GreenFeed system during the covariate period and experimental weeks 2, 6, 9, and 12. CH4 yield (g/kg DMI) by steers remained similar in both treatments for weeks 2 to 9. In week 12, there was a significant decrease in CH4 yield (23.2%) in treatment compared to control steers mainly because the steers were consuming all the pellets containing the additive. However, overall CH4 yield (g/kg DMI) during the entire experimental period was not significantly different. Carbon dioxide yield (g/kg DMI) and oxygen consumption (g/kg DMI) did not differ between treatments during the entire experimental period. DMI, average daily gain, and feed efficiency also remained similar in control and supplemented steers. The in vivo results showed that Mootral may have a potential to be used as a feed additive to reduce enteric CH4 production and yield in beef cattle but needs further investigation under various dietary regimen.

scholarly journals In Vitro Evaluation of Different Dietary Methane Mitigation Strategies

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juana C. Chagas ◽  
Mohammad Ramin ◽  
Sophie J. Krizsan
Keyword(s):  
Control Diet ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fermentation Parameters ◽  
Propynoic Acid ◽  
Dietary Strategies

We assessed and ranked different dietary strategies for mitigating methane (CH4) emissions and other fermentation parameters, using an automated gas system in two in vitro experiments. In experiment 1, a wide range of dietary CH4 mitigation strategies was tested. In experiment 2, the two most promising CH4 inhibitory compounds from experiment 1 were tested in a dose-response study. In experiment 1, the chemical compounds 2-nitroethanol, nitrate, propynoic acid, p-coumaric acid, bromoform, and Asparagopsis taxiformis (AT) decreased predicted in vivo CH4 production (1.30, 21.3, 13.9, 24.2, 2.00, and 0.20 mL/g DM, respectively) compared with the control diet (38.7 mL/g DM). The 2-nitroethanol and AT treatments had lower molar proportions of acetate and higher molar proportions of propionate and butyrate compared with the control diet. In experiment 2, predicted in vivo CH4 production decreased curvilinearly, molar proportions of acetate decreased, and propionate and butyrate proportions increased curvilinearly with increased levels of AT and 2-nitroethanol. Thus 2-nitroethanol and AT were the most efficient strategies to reduce CH4 emissions in vitro, and AT inclusion additionally showed a strong dose-dependent CH4 mitigating effect, with the least impact on rumen fermentation parameters.

scholarly journals Enteric methane emissions in response to ruminal inoculation of Propionibacterium strains in beef cattle fed a mixed diet

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Vyas ◽  
A. Alazzeh ◽  
S. M. McGinn ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
O. M. Harstad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Volatile Fatty Acids ◽  
Basal Diet ◽  
Barley Grain ◽  
Mixed Diet ◽  
Beef Heifers ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Barley Silage

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of Propionibacterium strains to mitigate enteric methane (CH4) emissions in beef heifers fed a mixed diet. An experiment was conducted with 16 ruminally cannulated beef heifers fed a basal diet consisting of 60 : 40 barley silage : barley grain (DM basis). Treatments included: (1) Control, (2) Propionibacterium freudenreichii T114, (3) P. thoenii T159, and (4) P. freudenreichii T54. Strains (1 × 1011 colony forming units) were administered daily directly into the rumen before feeding. No treatment effects were observed for DM intake (P = 0.90), mean ruminal pH (P = 0.50) and total volatile fatty acids (P = 0.44). However, compared with the Control, proportions of individual volatile fatty acids changed with acetate being less with Propionibacterium T159 (P = 0.02), whereas ruminal isobutyrate (P < 0.01) and acetate : propionate ratio (P = 0.04) were greater with Propionibacterium T114. Total daily enteric CH4 production averaged 188 g/day and was not affected by Propionbacterium strains (P = 0.51). Methane yield averaged 22 g/kg of DMI intake and tended to be greater with Propionibacterium strains (P = 0.08). The relative abundance of total Propionibacteria was greater with the inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 relative to the Control heifers (P = 0.04). In conclusion, inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 decreased ruminal acetate proportion and Propionibacterium T114 increased acetate : propionate ratio. However, inoculated strains failed to lower total CH4 emissions possibly due to the inability of Propionibacterium strains to elevate ruminal propionate concentrations.

Reliability of the sulfur hexafluoride tracer technique for methane emission measurement from individual animals: an overview

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 223 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S. Pinares-Patiño ◽  
H. Clark
Keyword(s):  
Sulfur Hexafluoride ◽  
Emission Measurement ◽  
Ch4 Emission ◽  
Tracer Technique ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
Animal Training ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cattle And Sheep

Measurements of enteric methane (CH4) emissions from individual animals have traditionally been made with indirect calorimetry techniques, which are both accurate and reliable. However, the expense and need for animal training and the extent to which calorimetric results can be extrapolated to free-ranging animals have been questioned and stimulated the development of the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique. The tracer technique is now widely used in New Zealand and many other countries for CH4 emission measurements on grazing and pen-fed cattle, sheep, deer and alpacas. Few studies with cattle and sheep have examined the validity of the SF6 tracer technique. Most of these studies have concluded that estimations of CH4 emission by this technique do not differ from those of calorimetric techniques, though some exceptions have been reported. There is general agreement that the tracer technique is associated with large between-animal variability in the CH4 emission estimates from animals on the same diet, but it remains unknown whether this is due to the environment, housing conditions or the technique itself. High within-animal variability has also been reported from tracer CH4 measurements. There is growing evidence that CH4 emission estimates by the tracer technique are positively influenced by the permeation rate (PR) of the SF6 gas from permeation tubes and it has been suggested that fate of the tracer in the rumen rather than unrepresentative breath sample collection is the likely reason for the latter. It is concluded that although some issues related to the tracer technique need to be clarified, using a narrow range in PR and balancing of PR between treatments should be practised in order to overcome the relationship between PR and CH4 emission estimates.

scholarly journals Effect of dairy cow genotype and concentrate feed level on cow performance and enteric methane emissions during grazing

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Peter Ferris ◽  
Haopeng Jiao ◽  
Stephen Murray ◽  
Alan Gordon ◽  
Scott Laidlaw
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cow ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Crossbred Cows ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Concentrate Supplementation ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Cow Performance ◽  
Concentrate Level

The current study (40 cows in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement) compared methane (CH4) emissions from two dairy cow genotypes (Holstein-Friesian [HF], and Swedish Red × [Jersey × Holstein-Friesian] [Crossbred]) offered two levels of concentrate supplementation (3.0 or 6.0 kg/cow per day) while grazing. Enteric CH4 emissions were measured using the SF6 technique on three occasions over a 16 week period, while intakes were estimated using performance data. Increasing concentrate level increased milk and energy corrected milk (ECM) yields, had no effect on CH4 emissions (g day-1) and CH4 emissions per kg dry matter (DM) intake, while reducing CH4/ECM yield. Crossbreds produced milk with higher milk fat and protein contents than HF cows, but ECM yield did not differ between genotypes. Daily CH4 production (g day-1), and CH4 production per kg ECM yield was unaffected by genotype. Methane yield (g kg-1 DM intake) was higher with the Crossbred cows, although DM intake was estimated in this study, and this result should be interpreted with some caution. Thus HF and Crossbred cows had similar CH4 emissions.

Using highly nutritious pastures to mitigate enteric methane emissions from cattle grazing systems in South America

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (12) ◽  
pp. 2329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Dini ◽  
J. I. Gere ◽  
C. Cajarville ◽  
Verónica S. Ciganda
Keyword(s):  
Crude Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Dry Matter Intake ◽  
Ether Extract ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Neutral Detergent Fibre ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Dry Matter Digestibility ◽  
Enteric Methane

Enteric methane (CH4) emissions are directly related to the quantity and type of feed intake. Existing mitigation strategies, for example, the addition of legumes to grass-based diets and increased use of grains, have been thoroughly researched and applied in different production systems. In this paper, we propose a need to expand the capacity to mitigate enteric CH4 emissions in cattle under grazing conditions. The objective of this paper was to contribute to evaluate a mitigation strategy under grazing conditions of using contrasting levels of pasture quality. The study was performed with 20 heifers twice during the year: winter and spring. Each season, the study employed a crossover design with two treatments and two 5-day measurement periods. The treatments were two pastures with different nutritional values, including a pasture with a low quality (70% of neutral detergent fibre, 1% of ether extract, 8% of non-fibre carbohydrates), 9% of crude protein, 35% of dry matter digestibility and a pasture with a high quality (42% neutral detergent fibre, 1.3% ether extract, 24% non-fibre carbohydrates, 21% crude protein and 63% dry matter digestibility). Enteric CH4 emissions were measured with sulfur hexafluoride tracer technique. The dry matter intake (kg/day) was measured indirectly using titanium dioxide as an external marker. CH4 emissions from animals grazing the high-quality pasture were 14% lower expressed as % of gross energy intake, and 11% lower expressed by unit of dry matter intake (g CH4/kg). These results quantitative showed the alternative to mitigate CH4 emissions from grazing bovines exclusively through the improvement of the forage quality offered.

scholarly journals Effect of tannin-containing hays on enteric methane emissions and nitrogen partitioning in beef cattle1

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (8) ◽  
pp. 3286-3299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth K Stewart ◽  
Karen A Beauchemin ◽  
Xin Dai ◽  
Jennifer W MacAdam ◽  
Rachael G Christensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
Sulfur Hexafluoride ◽  
Beef Cows ◽  
Nitrogen Partitioning ◽  
Sample Collection ◽  
N Retention ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Enteric Methane

AbstractThe objective of this study was to determine whether feeding tannin-containing hays to heifers and mature beef cows influences enteric methane (CH4) emissions and nitrogen (N) excretion relative to feeding traditional legume and grass hays. Fifteen mature beef cows (Exp. 1) and 9 yearling heifers (Exp. 2) were each randomly assigned to treatment groups in an incomplete bock design with 2 periods and 6 types of hays with 3 hays fed each period (n = 5 cows and 3 heifers per treatment). Groups were fed tannin-containing [birdsfoot trefoil (BFT), sainfoin (SAN), small burnet (SML)] or non-tannin-containing [alfalfa (ALF), cicer milkvetch (CMV), meadow bromegrass (MB)] hays. Each period consisted of 14 d of adjustment followed by 5 d of sample collection. Nine cows and 9 heifers were selected for the measurement of enteric CH4 emissions (sulfur hexafluoride tracer gas technique), and excretion of feces and urine, while dry matter intake (DMI) was measured for all animals. The concentration of condensed tannins in SAN and BFT was 2.5 ± 0.50% and 0.6 ± 0.09% of dry matter (DM), respectively, while SML contained hydrolyzable tannins (4.5 ± 0.55% of DM). Cows and heifers fed tannin-containing hays excreted less urinary urea N (g/d; P &lt; 0.001) and showed lower concentrations of blood urea N (mg/dL; P &lt; 0.001) than animals fed ALF or CMV, indicating that tannins led to a shift in route of N excretion from urine to feces. Additionally, cows fed either BFT or CMV showed the greatest percentage of retained N (P &lt; 0.001). Enteric CH4 yield (g/kg of DMI) from heifers (P = 0.089) was greatest for MB, while daily CH4 production (g/d) from heifers (P = 0.054) was least for SML. However, digestibility of crude protein was reduced for cows (P &lt; 0.001) and heifers (P &lt; 0.001) consuming SML. The results suggest that tannin-containing hays have the potential to reduce urinary urea N excretion, increase N retention, and reduce enteric CH4 emissions from beef cattle. The non-bloating tannin-free legume CMV may also reduce environmental impacts relative to ALF and MB hays by reducing N excretion in urine and increasing N retention.

Prediction and evaluation of enteric methane emissions from lactating dairy cows using different levels of covariate information

2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 557 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Santiago-Juarez ◽  
L. E. Moraes ◽  
J. A. D. R. N. Appuhamy ◽  
W. F. Pellikaan ◽  
D. P. Casper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prediction Models ◽  
Total Error ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Information Criteria ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Acceptable Error ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Level 2

The dairy sector contributes to global warming through enteric methane (CH4) emissions. Methane is also a loss of energy to the ruminant. Several studies have developed CH4 prediction models to assess mitigation strategies to reduce emissions. However, the majority of these models have low predictive ability or require numerous inputs that are often not readily available in commercial dairy operations. In this context, the objective of the present paper was to develop CH4 prediction models by using varying levels of information available at the farm level. The seven complexity levels used the following information: (1) dietary nutrient composition, (2) milk yield and composition, (3) Levels 1 and 2, (4) Level 3 plus dry matter intake (DMI), (5) Level 4 plus bodyweight, (6) Level 2 plus DMI, and (7) DMI only. Models were fitted to 489 individual enteric-CH4 measurements from 30 indirect calorimetry studies and evaluated with an independent database comprising 215 treatment means from 62 studies collected from the literature. Within each complexity level, all possible mixed-effect models were fitted and those with the lowest values of Akaike or Bayesian information criteria were selected using lme4 package in R. Models were evaluated using mean square prediction error (MSPE) based statistic, root MSPE (RMSPE) to observation standard deviation ratio, concordance correlation coefficient and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency methods. All fitted models performed well with an acceptable error estimates (RMSPE as a percentage of observed mean (RMSPE%) = 16–24%), with more than two-thirds of total error originating from random bias. Overall, models with DMI were more accurate (RMSPE% = 16–20%) than those without (RMSPE% = 20–24%). Although the best prediction model (RMSPE% = 16%) was developed using Level 5 information, a model using Level 2 information is recommended for on-farm methane estimates if DMI is not measured. The proposed models offer easy and practical tools to dairy producers for predicting CH4 emissions and evaluating CH4 mitigation strategies.

scholarly journals 172 Enteric methane emissions from pregnant beef heifers as affected by multiple mitigation strategies

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_4) ◽  
pp. 131-131
Author(s):  
Rhea E Teranishi ◽  
E J McGeough ◽  
Karin Wittenberg ◽  
Gary Crow ◽  
Kim Ominski
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Beef Heifers ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Grass Hay ◽  
Dietary Treatments

Abstract This study was conducted to determine if enteric methane (CH4) emissions from pregnant beef heifers could be reduced by using multiple dietary mitigation strategies. The trial was designed as a 4 x 4 Latin square consisting of a 21-d adaptation phase followed by a 21-d data collection phase. Forty Aberdeen Angus cross pregnant beef heifers were randomly assigned to one of the four dietary treatments (n = 10): i) low protein grass hay (L; 6.1% CP; 1.9% fat); ii) adequate protein grass hay (AD; 10.8% CP; 1.9% fat); iii) AD supplemented with sunflower screenings (ADSS; 9.8% CP; 5.6% fat); and iv) above adequate protein legume grass mix hay (AAD; 12.8% CP; 1.7% fat). Total dry matter intake (DMI) was 32%, 27% and 39% greater (P &lt; 0.0001) for AD, ADSS and AAD respectively, relative to the L diet (6.5 kg d-1). Average daily gain (ADG; kg d-1) was influenced by dietary treatment (P &lt; 0.0001), as heifers offered L, AD, ADSS and AAD diets gained 0 ± 0.2, 0.6 ± 0.2, 0.5 ± 0.2 and 0.7 ± 0.2 kg d-1, respectively. Enteric CH4 emissions (L d-1), were influenced by dietary treatment (P &lt; 0.0001) with 184 ± 18.9, 214 ± 19.0, 204 ± 19.1 and 232 ± 19.1 L d-1 for heifers offered L, AD, ADSS and AAD diets, respectively. Further, heifers offered AD, ADSS and AAD diets emitted 19%, 22% and 14% less (P=0.03) enteric CH4 (% GEI) relative to diet L, respectively. This study demonstrates that supplementation to meet nutrient requirements for protein or increasing the fat content of forage-based diets using low-cost by-products such as sunflower screenings can decrease enteric CH4 emissions without adversely impacting total DMI and ADG.

Optimal dose of 3-nitrooxypropanol for decreasing enteric methane emissions from beef cattle fed high-forage and high-grain diets

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Vyas ◽  
S. M. McGinn ◽  
S. M. Duval ◽  
M. K. Kindermann ◽  
K. A. Beauchemin
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Optimal Dose ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Ch4 Emissions ◽  
Ch4 Production ◽  
Enteric Methane ◽  
Gross Energy ◽  
High Forage

The objective of the present study was to determine the dose response of the methane (CH4) inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol (NOP) on enteric CH4 production and dry matter intake (DMI) for beef cattle fed a high-forage or high-grain diet. Fifteen crossbred yearling steers were used in two consecutive studies (high-forage backgrounding, high-grain finishing), each designed as an incomplete block with two 28-day periods with a 7-day washout in between and treatments corresponding to six doses of NOP (0 (Control), 50, 75, 100, 150, 200 mg/kg DM). The NOP was provided in the ration daily with the dose increased gradually over the first 10 days of each period. No treatment effects were observed on overall DMI or DMI of cattle when they were in the chambers either for the high-forage (P ≥ 0.54) or high-grain (P ≥ 0.26) diet. With the high-forage diet, NOP supplementation lowered total CH4 emissions (g/day) (P = 0.05), with the response at 200 mg NOP/kg DM different from Control (P < 0.05). Similarly, CH4 emissions corrected for DMI (g/kg DMI) and as a percentage of gross energy intake were linearly reduced in the high-forage diet with supplemental NOP (P < 0.01) and responses observed at 100, 150 and 200 mg NOP/kg DM differed from Control (P < 0.05). For the high-grain diet, total CH4 emissions decreased with incremental increases in the concentration of NOP supplemented (P = 0.04) and responses observed at 150 and 200 mg/kg DM differed from Control. Similarly, linear responses were observed with CH4 emissions corrected for DMI (P = 0.04) and gross energy intake (P = 0.02), with 100–200 mg NOP/kg DM differing from Control. Overall, results from the present study demonstrated that for beef cattle fed high-forage and high-grain diets, supplementation of 100–200 mg NOP/kg DM lowered enteric CH4 emissions without inducing any negative effects on DMI.

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