Effects of grain supplementation on methane production of grazing steers using the sulphur (SF6) tracer gas technique

Autor:	D. A. Boadi, K. M. Wittenberg, W. P. Mccaughey
Rok vydání:	2002
Předmět:	chemistry.chemical_classification geography geography.geographical_feature_category Forage Pasture Methane chemistry.chemical_compound Animal science Food Animals chemistry Agronomy TRACER Grazing Animal Science and Zoology Organic matter Dry matter Completely randomized design
Zdroj:	Canadian Journal of Animal Science. 82:151-157
ISSN:	1918-1825 0008-3984
DOI:	10.4141/a01-038
Popis:	The objective of the study was to examine the effect of supplemental grain on methane (CH4) production of grazing steers. Eight beef steers (344.6 ± 6.4 kg) were assigned to legume-grass pasture (C; n = 4) or legume-grass pasture plusa rolled barley supplement (S; n = 4). In a completely randomized design with repeated measures, CH4 output was measured for two 24-h periods, using the SF6 tracer gas technique as steers entered (IN) and exited (OUT) paddocks. Two, 4 and 4 kg of rolled-barley grain was fed daily to S steersduring the EARLY, MID and LATE periods of the grazing season, respectively. Supplementation reduced forage dry matter intake (DMI) by 11% (P = 0.03) and increased total organic matter intake (TOMI) by 14% (P = 0.001). Daily CH4 production was similar for C and S steers (P > 0.05). Methane production, increased (P < 0.05) from 256 L d-1 in the EARLY period to 364 L d-1 at the MID and 342 L d-1 at the LATE period. Energy lost as CH4, % total gross energy intake (TGEI) ranged from 4.7 to 8.4% (mean 6.5 ± 0.3%) during the grazing season, and there was no difference between S (6.4 ± 0.6%) and C (6.7 ± 0.6%) steers (P = 0.71). Methane production declined with grazing on high-quality forages; steers on EARLY pastures had 44% and 29% lower (P < 0.05) energy loss as CH4 than animals on MID and LATE pastures, respectively. There was also a 54% lower CH4 loss when animals entered new paddocks relative to those exiting the paddocks (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that the effects of supplementation on CH4 production were marginal in grazing steers. The study suggests that pasture quality plays a major role in the extent to which CH4 production can be reduced with grain supplementation in grazing animals. Key words: Methane, grazing steers, grain supplementation, pasture quality
Databáze:	OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz:	https://explore.openaire.eu/search/publication?articleId=doi_________::eb4c522365ad6cbb0d50dd566e66c695 https://doi.org/10.4141/a01-038 Zobrazit plný text záznamu