Methane emissions from lactating and non-lactating dairy cows and growing cattle fed fresh pasture
Arjan Jonker A B , German Molano A , John Koolaard A and Stefan Muetzel A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Tennent Drive, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
B Corresponding author. Email: arjan.jonker@agresearch.co.nz
Animal Production Science 57(4) 643-648 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15656
Submitted: 28 September 2015 Accepted: 9 January 2016 Published: 6 May 2016
Abstract
Currently, a fixed methane (CH4) emission factor is used for calculating total CH4 emissions from cattle in the national greenhouse gas inventory of New Zealand, independent of diet composition, cattle class (beef, dairy) or physiological state (growing, lactating, non-lactating). The objectives of this study were to determine CH4 emissions from lactating and non-lactating dairy cows (118 dairy cows; 81 lactating and 37 non-lactating, over 10 periods) and growing dairy heifers (12 measured twice) fed 100% fresh pasture forage in respiration chambers, which in combination with the published data of beef cattle (36 measured twice) fed fresh pasture were used to determine the relationship between CH4 emissions and dry matter intake (DMI), feed quality, cattle class (dairy vs beef) and physiological state (lactating, non-lactating and growing). Before regression analysis the dominant variables (DMI, CH4) needed to be transformed using natural logarithms (Ln) to make the variation in CH4 emissions more homogeneous across the range of data (i.e. stabilise the variance). Over all periods, average DMI ranged from 3.1 to 13.9 kg/day, average CH4 production from 64 to 325 g/day and average CH4 yield from 21.4 to 26.5 g/kg DMI. The DMI alone explained 90.8% of the variation in CH4 production (LnCH4 (g/day) = 3.250 + 0.9487 × LnDMI). Regression was improved to a minor extent (<3%, with associated increased prediction error) by including physiological status, cattle class or dietary composition in the model, in addition to LnDMI, on LnCH4 production. In conclusion, DMI alone was the strongest predictor for CH4 emissions from cattle fed fresh pasture with minor but irrelevant improvements in the prediction when considering pasture quality, cattle class or physiological status.
Additional keywords: national greenhouse gas inventory, prediction equation.
References
Animal Welfare Act (1999) ‘Code of ethical conduct.’ (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry: Wellington, New Zealand) Available at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/animal-welfare/naeac/papers/naeaccec.htm [Verified 15 January 2015]Bannink A, Smits MCJ, Kebreab E, Mills JAN, Ellis JL, Klop A, France J, Dijkstra J (2010) Simulating the effects of grassland management and grass ensiling on methane emission from lactating cows. The Journal of Agricultural Science 148, 55–72.
| Simulating the effects of grassland management and grass ensiling on methane emission from lactating cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1MXhs1Skt77K&md5=cddbe8f793ce73e49c50661a607941a7CAS |
Bargo F, Muller LD, Kolver ES, Delahoy JE (2003) Invited Review: Production and digestion of supplemented dairy cows on pasture. Journal of Dairy Science 86, 1–42.
| Invited Review: Production and digestion of supplemented dairy cows on pasture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXhtlCks7s%3D&md5=1d8bc00fae88db774a74208fd535df8aCAS | 12613846PubMed |
Beever DE, Thomson DJ, Ulyatt MJ, Cammell SB, Spooner MC (1985) The digestion of fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv. Melle) and white clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. Blanca) by growing cattle fed indoors. British Journal of Nutrition 54, 763–775.
| The digestion of fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv. Melle) and white clover (Trifolium repens L. cv. Blanca) by growing cattle fed indoors.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaL1c%2FnslyhsQ%3D%3D&md5=3c02b24ce5703bae04d1e2bd92457bfaCAS | 3870696PubMed |
Cammell SB, Thomson JD, Beeber DE, Haines MJ, Dhanoa MS, Spooner MC (1986) The efficiency of energy utilization in growing cattle consuming fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Melle) or white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Blanca). British Journal of Nutrition 55, 669–680.
| The efficiency of energy utilization in growing cattle consuming fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Melle) or white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Blanca).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaL1c%2FltVOisw%3D%3D&md5=9df5fb1dce2bb629a90b912fa9e8b1f2CAS | 3676184PubMed |
Clark H, Brookes IM, Walcroft A (2003) Enteric methane emissions from New Zealand ruminants 1990–2001 calculated using IPPC tier 2 approach. Report prepared for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Wellington, New Zealand.
Corson DC, Waghorn GC, Ulyatt MJ, Lee J (1999) NIRS: forage analysis and livestock feeding. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 61, 127–132.
CSIRO (1990) ‘Feeding standards for Australian livestock. Ruminants.’ (CSIRO Publications: Melbourne)
Hammond KJ, Muetzel S, Waghorn GC, Pinares-Patino CS, Burke JL, Hoskin SO (2009) The variation in methane emissions from sheep and cattle is not explained by the chemical composition of ryegrass. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 69, 174–178.
Holter JB, Young AJ (1992) Methane prediction in dry and lactating Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 75, 2165–2175.
| Methane prediction in dry and lactating Holstein cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DyaK3s%2Fhslantg%3D%3D&md5=701a4926f9bd9c8ad7b7a73771bcb54fCAS | 1401368PubMed |
IPCC (1996) ‘Revised IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. IPCC National Inventories Programme.’ (UK Meteorological Office: Bracknell, UK)
IPCC (2006) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Emissions from livestock and manure management. In ‘Guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories, agriculture, forestry and other land use’. Vol. 4. (Eds HS Eggleston, L Buendia, K Miwa, T Ngara, K Tanabe) pp. 10.1–10.87. (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies: Hayama, Japan)
Jentsch W, Schweigel M, Weissbach F, Scholze H, Pitroff W, Derno M (2007) Methane production in cattle calculated by the nutrient composition of the diet. Archives of Animal Nutrition 61, 10–19.
| Methane production in cattle calculated by the nutrient composition of the diet.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXjtlymsbs%3D&md5=473a56d60ee14f146bb82cd37e66d6c9CAS | 17361944PubMed |
Jiao H, Yan T, Wills DA, Carson AF, McDowell DA (2014) Development of prediction models for quantification of total methane emission from enteric fermentation of young Holstein cattle at various ages. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 183, 160–166.
| Development of prediction models for quantification of total methane emission from enteric fermentation of young Holstein cattle at various ages.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2cXjs1Ogsrs%3D&md5=401f107dc71168e61a70a37f04c04689CAS |
Johnson KA, Johnson DE (1995) Methane emissions from cattle. Journal of Animal Science 73, 2483–2492.
Jonker A, Molano G, Antwi C, Waghorn GC (2014) Feeding lucerne silage to beef cattle at three allowances and four feeding frequencies affects circadian patterns of methane emissions, but not emissions per unit of intake. Animal Production Science 5, 1350–1353.
Jonker A, Muetzel S, Molano G, Pacheco D (2015) Effect of fresh pasture quality, feeding level and supplementation on methane emissions from growing beef cattle. Animal Production Science
| Effect of fresh pasture quality, feeding level and supplementation on methane emissions from growing beef cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Litherland AJ, Woodward SJR, Stevens DR, McDougal DB, Boom CJ, Knight TL, Lambert MG (2002) Seasonal variation in pasture quality on New Zealand sheep and beef farms. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 62, 138–142.
MfE (2015) ‘New Zealand’s greenhouse gas inventory 1990–2013.’ Ref. ME 1195. (Ministry for the Environment: Wellington, NZ)
Moe PW, Tyrrell HF (1979) Methane production in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 62, 1583–1586.
| Methane production in dairy cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaL3cXlt1Og&md5=0841dc684fe0c582ecc9d37de8a32a18CAS |
Molano G, Clark H, Knight TW, Cavanagh A (2006) Methane emissions from growing beef cattle grazing hill country pasture. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 66, 172–175.
Moraes LE, Strathe AB, Fadel JG, Casper DP, Kebreab E (2014) Prediction of enteric methane emissions from cattle. Global Change Biology 20, 2140–2148.
| Prediction of enteric methane emissions from cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24259373PubMed |
Münger A, Kreuzer M (2006) Methane emission as determined in contrasting dairy cattle breeds over the reproduction cycle. International Congress Series 1293, 119–122.
| Methane emission as determined in contrasting dairy cattle breeds over the reproduction cycle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Payne R, Murray D, Harding S, Baird D, Soutar D (2012) ‘A guide to regression, nonlinear and generalized linear models in Genstat.’ 15th edn. (VSN International: Hemel Hempstead, UK) Available at http://www.vsni.co.uk/downloads/genstat/release15/doc/RegressGuide.pdf [Verified 26 November 2015]
Pinares-Patiño CS, Hunt C, Martin R, West J, Lovejoy P, Waghorn GC (2012) New Zealand Ruminant Methane Measurment Centre, AgResearch, Palmerston North. In ‘Technical manual on respiration chamber design’. (Eds CS Pinares-Patiño, GC Waghorn) pp. 9–28. (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Wellington, New Zealand)
Ramírez-Restrepo CA, Clark H, Muetzel S (2015) Methane emissions from young and mature dairy cattle. Animal Production Science
| Methane emissions from young and mature dairy cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ricci P, Rooke JA, Nevison I, Waterhouse A (2013) Methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle: quantifying the effect of physiological stage and diet characteristics. Journal of Animal Science 91, 5379–5389.
| Methane emissions from beef and dairy cattle: quantifying the effect of physiological stage and diet characteristics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhslKkt7jM&md5=7a0695b1f6a5e3952e0b5ae885ce8d82CAS | 24174549PubMed |
Stergiadis S, Zou C, Chen X, Allen M, Wills D, Yan T (2016) Equations to predict methane emissions from cows fed at maintenance energy level in pasture-based systems. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 220, 8–20.
Warner D, Podesta SC, Hatew B, Klop G, van Laar H, Bannink A, Dijkstra J (2015) Effect of nitrogen fertilization rate and regrowth interval of grass herbage on methane emission of zero-grazing lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 3383–3393.
| Effect of nitrogen fertilization rate and regrowth interval of grass herbage on methane emission of zero-grazing lactating dairy cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXktlSrsb0%3D&md5=b5aa9fef718cc808bf34762a046c949dCAS | 25771062PubMed |
Woodward SL, Chaves AV, Waghorn GC, Laboyrie PG (2002) Supplementing pasture fed cows with pasture silage, maize silage, Lotus silage or sulla silage in summer – does it increase production. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 64, 85–89.
