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Animals
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Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions
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Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 22589

Special Issue Editors

Dr. César S. Pinares-Patiño

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
‘The Agribusiness Group’, Lincoln, New Zealand
Interests: livestock systems; forage; feeding; ruminant nutrition; feed evaluation; pasture management
Dr. Arjan Jonker

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Interests: ruminant nutrition; feed/forage science; greenhouse gas emissions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Camila Muñoz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias, INIA Remehue, Osorno, Chile
Interests: ruminant nutrition; methane emissions; grazing dairy systems

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Methane is the main biological greenhouse gas emitted from ruminant livestock farming. Systems for grazing ruminants occupy an important part of global land surface and are therefore an important contributor to global enteric methane emissions. Grazing livestock systems face the challenge of reducing their overall environmental impact, especially enteric methane emissions, and at the same time, improving ecosystem function and providing for the livelihoods of rural communities, especially in developing countries. Therefore, more knowledge is needed on proven methane mitigation strategies that can be applied in a practical way on intensive and extensive grazing systems.

This Special Issue seeks original contributions from researchers working on innovative application of methane mitigation strategies and measurement methods that can be applied to grazing systems. Contributions are sought at the level of proof of concept, pilot trials and on farm application and adoption.

Dr. César S. Pinares-Patiño
Dr. Arjan Jonker
Dr. Camila Muñoz
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • Grazing
  • Pastoral
  • Enteric methane
  • Ruminants
  • Emission
  • Rumen
  • Mitigation
  • Measurement
  • Techniques
  • Greenhouse gas
  • Livestock

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
Long-Term and Carryover Effects of Supplementation with Whole Oilseeds on Methane Emission, Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Profile of Grazing Dairy Cows
by Camila Muñoz, Rodrigo Villalobos, Alejandra María Teresa Peralta, Rodrigo Morales, Natalie Louise Urrutia and Emilio Mauricio Ungerfeld
Animals 2021, 11(10), 2978; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11102978 - 15 Oct 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3053
Abstract
Research is ongoing to find nutritional methane (CH4) mitigation strategies with persistent effects that can be applied to grazing ruminants. Lipid addition to dairy cow diets has shown potential as means to decrease CH4 emissions. This study evaluated the effects [...] Read more.
Research is ongoing to find nutritional methane (CH4) mitigation strategies with persistent effects that can be applied to grazing ruminants. Lipid addition to dairy cow diets has shown potential as means to decrease CH4 emissions. This study evaluated the effects of oilseeds on CH4 emission and production performance of grazing lactating dairy cows. Sixty Holstein Friesian cows grazing pasture were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments (n = 15): supplemented with concentrate without oilseeds (CON), with whole cottonseed (CTS), rapeseed (RPS) or linseed (LNS). Oilseeds were supplemented during weeks 1–16 (spring period) and 17–22 (summer period), and the autumn period (wk 23–27) was used to evaluate treatment carryover effects. Cows fed CTS decreased CH4 yield by 14% compared to CON in spring, but these effects did not persist after 19 weeks of supplementation (summer). Compared to CON, RPS decreased milk yield and CTS increased milk fat concentration in both spring and summer. In summer, CTS also increased milk protein concentration but decreased milk yield, compared to CON. In spring, compared to CON, CTS decreased most milk medium-chain fatty acids (FA; 8:0, 12:0, 14:0 and 15:0) and increased stearic, linoleic and rumenic FA, and LNS increased CLA FA. There were no carry-over effects into the autumn period. In conclusion, supplementation of grazing dairy cows with whole oilseeds resulted in mild effects on methane emissions and animal performance. In particular, supplementing with CTS can decrease CH4 yield without affecting milk production, albeit with a mild and transient CH4 decrease effect. Long term studies conducted under grazing conditions are important to provide a comprehensive overview of how proposed nutritional CH4 mitigation strategies affect productivity, sustainability and consumer health aspects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)
12 pages, 785 KiB  
Article
Seasonal Effect on Feed Intake and Methane Emissions of Cow–Calf Systems on Native Grassland with Variable Herbage Allowance
by M. Soledad Orcasberro, Cecilia Loza, José Gere, Pablo Soca, Valentín Picasso and Laura Astigarraga
Animals 2021, 11(3), 882; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030882 - 19 Mar 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3030
Abstract
The aim of this study was to measure methane emissions (CH4) and herbage intake, and, on the basis of these results, obtain the methane yield (MY, methane yield as g CH4/kg dry matter intake (DMI) and Ym, methane yield [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to measure methane emissions (CH4) and herbage intake, and, on the basis of these results, obtain the methane yield (MY, methane yield as g CH4/kg dry matter intake (DMI) and Ym, methane yield as a percentage of Gross Energy intake), from beef cows grazing on native grasslands. We used forty pregnant heifers, with two treatments of herbage allowance (HA) adjusted seasonally (8 and 5 kg dry matter (DM)/kg cattle live weight (LW), on average), during autumn, winter and spring. Methane emissions (207 g CH4/d), organic matter intake (OMI, 7.7 kg organic matter (OM)/d), MY (23.6 g CH4/kg DMI) and Ym (7.4%), were similar between treatments. On the other hand, all variables had a marked increase in spring (10.8 kg OM/d and 312 g CH4/d), except for Ym. The methane emission factor from Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 estimated with these results was 78 kg CH4/head/year. The results show that methane emissions and intake were influenced by the season, but not by the HA analyzed in this study. This information for cow–calf systems in native grasslands in Uruguay can be used in National greenhouse gases (GHG) inventories, representing a relevant contribution to global GHG inventories. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)
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11 pages, 5252 KiB  
Article
Effects of Feeding Level and Breed Composition on Intake, Digestibility, and Methane Emissions of Dairy Heifers
by Tainá Silvestre, Marina A. Lima, Gustavo B. dos Santos, Luiz G. R. Pereira, Fernanda S. Machado, Thierry R. Tomich, Mariana M. Campos, Arjan Jonker, Paulo H. M. Rodrigues, Virginia L. N. Brandao and Marcos I. Marcondes
Animals 2021, 11(3), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030586 - 24 Feb 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3534
Abstract
The dairy Nutrients Requirements of Cattle (NRC) was developed using data from purebred Holsteins and it might not accurately predict the performance of crossbred cattle. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of two feeding levels (FLs) and three breed compositions (BCs) on [...] Read more.
The dairy Nutrients Requirements of Cattle (NRC) was developed using data from purebred Holsteins and it might not accurately predict the performance of crossbred cattle. Our objectives were to evaluate the effects of two feeding levels (FLs) and three breed compositions (BCs) on nutrient intake, digestibility, performance, and methane (CH4) emissions of prepubertal dairy heifers. We used thirty-six heifers from three BCs: purebred Holstein (H), purebred Gyr (G), and F1 Holstein × Gyr (HG). Each BC had 12 animals and the experiment was designed as twelve incomplete three by three Latin squares, in a factorial arrangement three by two, with three BCs and two FLs (400 and 800 g/day). Total tract nutrient digestibility was determined using total fecal collection and DMI was individually measured. The data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED in SAS. Dry matter intake of all nutrients increased from the medium to high feeding level and the nutrients digestibility coefficients did differ among BCs. Achieved body weight gain in the medium FL treatment was greater than those predicted using the NRC, suggesting that crossbred and Gyr heifers have similar performance to Holsteins. Breed composition does not influence body weight gain of confined dairy heifers, but Holstein heifers fed a medium FL had higher feed efficiency and reduced CH4 emissions intensity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)
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22 pages, 350 KiB  
Article
Feed Intake, Methane Emissions, Milk Production and Rumen Methanogen Populations of Grazing Dairy Cows Supplemented with Various C 18 Fatty Acid Sources
by Tommy M. Boland, Karina M. Pierce, Alan K. Kelly, David A. Kenny, Mary B. Lynch, Sinéad M. Waters, Stephen J. Whelan and Zoe C. McKay
Animals 2020, 10(12), 2380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122380 - 11 Dec 2020
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4083 | Correction
Abstract
Emissions of methane (CH4) from dairy production systems are environmentally detrimental and represent an energy cost to the cow. This study evaluated the effect of varying C18 fatty acid sources on CH4 emissions, milk production and rumen methanogen populations in [...] Read more.
Emissions of methane (CH4) from dairy production systems are environmentally detrimental and represent an energy cost to the cow. This study evaluated the effect of varying C18 fatty acid sources on CH4 emissions, milk production and rumen methanogen populations in grazing lactating dairy cows. Forty-five Holstein Friesian cows were randomly allocated to one of three treatments (n = 15). Cows were offered 15 kg dry matter (DM)/d of grazed pasture plus supplementary concentrates (4 kg DM/d) containing either stearic acid (SA), linseed oil (LO), or soy oil (SO). Cows offered LO and SO had lower pasture DM intake (DMI) than those offered SA (11.3, 11.5 vs. 12.6 kg/d). Cows offered LO and SO had higher milk yield (21.0, 21.3 vs. 19.7 kg/d) and milk protein yield (0.74, 0.73 vs. 0.67 kg/d) than those offered SA. Emissions of CH4 (245 vs. 293, 289 g/d, 12.4 vs. 15.7, 14.8 g/kg of milk and 165 vs. 207, 195 g/kg of milk solids) were lower for cows offered LO than those offered SA or SO. Methanobrevibacter ruminantium abundance was reduced in cows offered LO compared to SA. Offering supplementary concentrates containing LO can reduce enteric CH4 emissions from pasture fed dairy cows. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)

Review

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13 pages, 753 KiB  
Review
Feeding Strategies to Mitigate Enteric Methane Emission from Ruminants in Grassland Systems
by Juan Vargas, Emilio Ungerfeld, Camila Muñoz and Nicolas DiLorenzo
Animals 2022, 12(9), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091132 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 5517
Abstract
Ruminants produce approximately 30% of total anthropogenic methane emissions globally. The objective of this manuscript was to review nutritional enteric methane abatement practices for ruminants that are applicable under grazing conditions. A total of 1548 peer-reviewed research articles related to the abatement of [...] Read more.
Ruminants produce approximately 30% of total anthropogenic methane emissions globally. The objective of this manuscript was to review nutritional enteric methane abatement practices for ruminants that are applicable under grazing conditions. A total of 1548 peer-reviewed research articles related to the abatement of enteric methane emissions were retrieved and classified into four categories: non-experimental, in vitro, in vivo confined, and in vivo grazing. The methane abatement strategies for grazing systems were arranged into grazing management and supplementation practices. Only 9% of the retrieved papers have been conducted under grazing conditions. Eight grazing management practices have been evaluated to reduce methane emissions. Decreasing the pre-grazing herbage mass reduced the methane emission per unit of product. Other grazing management practices such as increased stocking rate, decreased forage maturity, rotational stocking, and incorporating tannin-containing or non-tannin-containing feeds showed contradictory results. Nitrogen fertilization or silvopastoral systems did not modify methane emissions. Conversely, supplementation practices in grazing conditions showed contradictory responses on methane emissions. Lipid supplementation showed promising results and suggests applicability under grazing conditions. Identifying and implementing grazing strategies and supplementation practices under grazing conditions is required to increase efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of these systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)
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Other

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2 pages, 160 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Boland, T.M.; et al. Feed Intake, Methane Emissions, Milk Production and Rumen Methanogen Populations of Grazing Dairy Cows Supplemented with Various C 18 Fatty Acid Sources. Animals 2020, 10, 2380
by Tommy M. Boland, Karina M. Pierce, Alan K. Kelly, David A. Kenny, Mary B. Lynch, Sinéad M. Waters, Stephen J. Whelan and Zoe C. McKay
Animals 2021, 11(2), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020280 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1916
Abstract
The authors wish to make a change to the published paper [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Grazing Livestock Systems: Measuring and Mitigating Enteric Methane Emissions)
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