Effect of feeding a balanced ration on milk production, microbial nitrogen supply and methane emissions in field animals
M. R. Garg A B , P. L. Sherasia A , B. T. Phondba A and S. A. Hossain AA Animal Nutrition Group, National Dairy Development Board, Anand-388001, Gujarat, India.
B Corresponding author. Email: mrgarg@nddb.coop
Animal Production Science 54(10) 1657-1661 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN14163
Submitted: 7 March 2014 Accepted: 18 June 2014 Published: 19 August 2014
Abstract
Dairy animals in developing countries produce more methane (CH4), primarily on account of feed rations imbalanced in nutrients. A field study on early lactating cows (n = 80) and buffaloes (n = 82) was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding a balanced ration on milk production, microbial nitrogen (N) supply and CH4 emissions in different agroclimatic regions of India. CH4 emissions was measured using the sulfur hexafluoride tracer technique, before and after feeding a balanced ration. Feeding practices revealed that intake of protein was adequate in the ration of experimental animals in most of the regions, except for the buffaloes of the western region. Metabolisable energy (MJ/cow.day) intake was higher by 7.6% and 13.6% in cows of western and northern regions, respectively. In buffaloes, energy intake (MJ metabolisable energy/buffalo.day) was higher by 11.5% in the western region but lower by 17.7% in the central region. Average calcium intake was deficient by 23.5% and 35.1%, whereas phosphorus intake was deficient by 33.2% and 56.2% in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Feeding a balanced ration increased (P < 0.05) average daily milk production by 6.7% and 7.6%, whereas cost of production decreased by 13.7% and 9.9% in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Fat-corrected milk increased from 9.1 to 9.8 kg/cow.day and from 6.9 to 7.7 kg/buffalo.day. Intestinal flow of microbial N improved significantly by 25.5% and 26.7% in cows and buffaloes, respectively. Balanced feeding reduced CH4 emissions (g/kg milk yield) by 17.3% (P < 0.05) in cows and 19.5% (P < 0.01) in buffaloes. The present study indicates that feeding a balanced ration improves milk production and microbial N supply, and reduces CH4 emissions in field animals.
Additional keywords: environment, productivity, ration balancing, ruminants.
References
AOAC (2005) ‘Official methods of analysis of International Association of Official Analytical Chemists.’ 18th edn. (AOAC International: Arlington, VA)Bayat A, Shingfield KJ (2012) Overview of nutritional strategies to lower enteric methane emissions in ruminants. In ‘Maataloustieteen Päivät’. pp. 1–7.Available at http://www.smts.fi/Kotielaintuotanto/Bayat_Overview%20of.pdf [Verified 14 July 2014]
Chen XB, Grubic G, Orskov ER, Osuji P (1992) Effect of feeding frequency on diurnal variation in plasma and urine purine derivatives in steers. Animal Production 55, 185–191.
| Effect of feeding frequency on diurnal variation in plasma and urine purine derivatives in steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK3sXkvFCnsbo%3D&md5=71fec7c64a1d4dac298ec10bc2c8ac65CAS |
Garg MR (2012) Balanced feeding for improving livestock productivity – increase in milk production and nutrient use efficiency and decrease in methane emission. Paper No. 173. In ‘FAO animal production and health’. (FAO: Rome). Available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i3014e/i3014e00.pdf. [Verified 14 July 2014]
Garg MR, Sherasia PL, Bhanderi BM, Phondba BT, Shelke SK, Makkar HPS (2013) Effect of feeding nutritionally balanced rations on animal productivity, feed conversion efficiency, feed nitrogen use efficiency, rumen microbial protein supply, parasitic load, immunity and enteric methane emissions of milking animals under field conditions. Animal Feed Science and Technology 179, 24–35.
| Effect of feeding nutritionally balanced rations on animal productivity, feed conversion efficiency, feed nitrogen use efficiency, rumen microbial protein supply, parasitic load, immunity and enteric methane emissions of milking animals under field conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhvVCktLvK&md5=9e8a36442e88c09b4b6d7c54be42f08dCAS |
Gerber PJ, Steinfeld H, Henderson B, Mottet A, Opio C, Dijkman J, Falcucci A, Tempio G (2013) ‘Tackling climate change through livestock: a global assessment of emissions and mitigation opportunities.’ (FAO: Rome) Available at http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3437e/i3437e.pdf [Verified 14 July 2014]
Hristov AN, Oh J, Firkins JL, Dijkstra J, Kebreab E, Waghorn G, Makkar HPS, Adesogan AT, Yang W, Lee C, Gerber PJ, Henderson B, Tricarico JM (2013) Mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from animal operations: I. A review of enteric methane mitigation options. Journal of Animal Science 91, 5045–5069.
| Mitigation of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from animal operations: I. A review of enteric methane mitigation options.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhslKktrrL&md5=4f67430a31a04d014f12be800c812ad3CAS | 24045497PubMed |
IAEA (1997) ‘Estimation of rumen microbial protein production from purine derivatives in urine.’ IAEA-TECDOC-945. (International Atomic Energy Agency: Vienna)
Johnson KA, Huyler MT, Westberg HH, Lamb BK, Zimmerman P (1994) Measurement of methane emissions from ruminants livestock using a SF6 tracer technique. Environmental Science & Technology 28, 359–362.
| Measurement of methane emissions from ruminants livestock using a SF6 tracer technique.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXmtFahtA%3D%3D&md5=9d4643fcdeea00eda2445c13547eec40CAS |
Kearl LC (1982) ‘Nutrient requirements of ruminants in developing countries.’ (International Feedstuffs Institute, Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah State University: Logan, UT)
Khochare AB, Kank VD, Gadegaonkar GM, Salunke SC (2010) Strategic supplementation of limiting nutrients to medium yielding dairy animals at field level. In ‘Proceedings of the seventh Animal Nutrition Association conference’, Bhubaneswar, India. p. 30.
Makkar HPS (2004) Development, standardization and validation of nuclear based technologies for estimating microbial protein supply in ruminant livestock for improving productivity. In ‘Estimation of microbial protein supply in ruminants using urinary purine derivatives’. (Eds HPS Makkar, XB Chen) pp. 2–13. (FAO/IAEA, Kluwer Academic Publishers: The Netherlands)
Makkar HPS, Chen XB (2004) ‘Estimation of microbial protein supply in ruminants using urinary purine derivatives.’ IAEA-CN-110. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Vienna)
Mohini M, Singh GP (2010) Effect of supplementation of urea molasses mineral block (UMMB) on the milk yield and methane production in lactating cattle on different plane of nutrition. Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition 27, 96–102.
NRC (2001) ‘Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle.’ 7th revised edn. (National Research Council, National Academy Press: Washington, DC)
SAS (2012) ‘SAS procedures guide release 9.3.’ (SAS Institute Inc.: Cary, NC)
Snedecor GW, Cochran WC (1994) ‘Statistical methods.’ 8th edn. (Iowa State University Press: Ames, IA)
Tiwary MK, Tiwari DP, Kumar A, Mondal BC (2007) Existing feeding practices, nutrient availability and reproductive status of dairy cattle and buffaloes in Haridwar district of Uttarakhand. Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology 7, 177–185.
Waghorn GC, Hegarty RS (2011) Lowering ruminant methane emissions through improved feed conversion efficiency. Animal Feed Science and Technology 166–167, 291–301.
| Lowering ruminant methane emissions through improved feed conversion efficiency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Young EG, Conway CF (1942) Estimation of allantoin by the Rimini-Schryver reaction. Journal of Biological Chemistry 142, 839–853. http://www.jbc.org/content/142/2/839.full.pdf
