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
Arjan Jonker A D , German Molano A , Christopher Antwi A B and Garry Waghorn CA Animal Nutrition & Physiology Team, Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Ltd, Tennent Drive, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
B Department of Animal Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
C DairyNZ Ltd, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
D Corresponding author. Email: arjan.jonker@agresearch.co.nz
Animal Production Science 54(9) 1350-1353 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN14235
Submitted: 12 March 2014 Accepted: 26 May 2014 Published: 14 July 2014
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the circadian variation in methane (CH4) emissions from cattle fed lucerne silage at different feeding levels and feeding frequencies, to assist with interpretation of short ‘snapshot’ CH4 measurements used for predicting daily emissions. Eight Hereford × Friesian heifers (initially 20 months of age) were used in five consecutive periods (P1–5) of 14 days with CH4 emissions measured using respiration chambers for two consecutive days at the end of each period. Feed was restricted to intakes of ~6, 8, 8, 8 and 11 ± 1.3 (ad libitum) kg lucerne silage dry matter (DM), fed in 2, 2, 3, 4 or ad libitum (refilled twice daily) meals per day in P1–5, respectively. Daily CH4 production (g/day) was lower in P1 than in P2–4 (P < 0.05), which were lower than in P5 (P < 0.05), but CH4 yield (24.3 ± 1.23 g/kg DM) was unaffected by treatment. Among the five periods, CH4 emission rate (g/h) before feeding ranged from 1.8 to 6.5 g/h, time to peak CH4 production after start of feeding ranged from 19 to 40 min and peak CH4 production rate ranged from 11.1 to 17.5 g/h. The range in hourly CH4 emission rates during the day decreased with increasing feed intake level, but was unaffected by feeding frequency. In summary, the circadian pattern of CH4 emissions was affected by feed allowance and feeding frequency, and variation in CH4 emission rate was reduced with increasing intake, without affecting average daily yield (g CH4/kg DM intake).
Additional keywords: cattle, circadian pattern, feeding frequency, feeding level, methane, snapshot measurement.
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