Repeatability of enteric methane determinations from cattle using either the SF6 tracer technique or the GreenFeed system
M. Arbre A , Y. Rochette A , J. Guyader A , C. Lascoux A , L. M. Gómez A , M. Eugène A , D. P. Morgavi A , G. Renand B , M. Doreau A and C. Martin A CA INRA UMR 1213 Herbivores, 63122 Saint-Genès-Champanelle, Clermont Université, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
B INRA UMR 1313 Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, 78352 Jouy en Josas, France.
C Corresponding author. Email: cecile.martin@clermont.inra.fr
Animal Production Science 56(3) 238-243 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15512
Submitted: 31 August 2015 Accepted: 15 November 2015 Published: 9 February 2016
Abstract
The SF6 tracer technique (SF6) and GreenFeed system (GF) are two methods for measuring enteric methane (CH4) emissions from cattle. Both methods estimate individual daily CH4 emissions from expired gas samples collected either continuously over 24 h in a canister (SF6) or several times a day during short-term periods (3–8 min) when cattle visit an automated head chamber (GF). The objective of this work was to study repeatability (R) of each method according to duration of measurement period as an indicator of their precision. The R of CH4 measurements was evaluated in two different trials using cows. For Experiment 1, the SF6 technique was used for 20 days in six non-lactating dairy cows fed a hay-based diet; for Experiment 2, the GF system was used for 91 days in seven lactating dairy cows fed a maize silage-based diet. The CH4 data were grouped by periods of 1–10 days (SF6) and 1–45 days (GF). The CH4 emissions averaged 23.6 ± 3.9 g/kg dry matter intake (DMI) for the SF6 and 17.4 ± 3.3 g/kg DMI for the GF on the measurement period. To achieve an R value of 0.70 for CH4 emissions (g/kg DMI), 3-day periods were necessary for SF6 and 17-day periods for GF. The R did not increase after 4-day periods for SF6 (R = 0.73), but increased for GF until 45-day periods (R = 0.90). In our experimental conditions and R = 0.70, the total number of cows necessary to detect a significant difference in CH4 emissions (g/kg DMI) between two treatments (e.g. diet) was similar for SF6 and GF.
Additional keywords: CH4, greenhouse gas, measurement technique, repeatability, ruminant.
References
Cottle DJ, Velazco J, Hegarty RS, Mayer DG (2015) Estimating daily methane production in individual cattle with irregular feed intake patterns from short-term methane emission measurements. Animal 1–9.| Estimating daily methane production in individual cattle with irregular feed intake patterns from short-term methane emission measurements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
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.’ (Food and Agriculture Organisation: Rome, Italy)
Grainger C, Clarke T, McGinn SM, Auldist MJ, Beauchemin KA, Hannah MC, Waghorn GC, Clark H, Eckard RJ (2007) Methane emissions from dairy cows measured using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer and chamber technique. Journal of Dairy Science 90, 2755–2766.
| Methane emissions from dairy cows measured using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer and chamber technique.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXlvFOitr0%3D&md5=9edcc5a363c2eba212f8765f0901b599CAS | 17517715PubMed |
Hammond KJ, Humphries DJ, Crompton LA, Green C, Reynolds CK (2015) Methane emissions from cattle: estimates from short-term measurements using GreenFeed system compared with measurements obtained using respiration chambers or sulphur hexafluoride tracer. Animal Feed Science and Technology 203, 41–52.
| Methane emissions from cattle: estimates from short-term measurements using GreenFeed system compared with measurements obtained using respiration chambers or sulphur hexafluoride tracer.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXjvFeqtbc%3D&md5=bd7e01bfaf98d7631cf0bd0487993cc4CAS |
Hegarty RS (2013) Applicability of short-term emission measurements for on-farm quantification of enteric methane. Animal 7, 401–408.
| Applicability of short-term emission measurements for on-farm quantification of enteric methane.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23739481PubMed |
Huhtanen P, Krizsan SJ, Hetta M, Gidlund H, Cabezas Garcia EH (2013) Repeatability and between cow variability of enteric CH4 and total CO2 emissions. Advances in Animal Biosciences 4, 588
Huhtanen P, Cabezas-Garcia EH, Utsumi S, Zimmerman S (2015) Comparison of methods to determine methane emissions from dairy cows in farm conditions. Journal of Dairy Science 98, 3394–3409.
| Comparison of methods to determine methane emissions from dairy cows in farm conditions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXktlSrsbc%3D&md5=42423aea2d561a10d5d577d9e2bc800dCAS | 25771050PubMed |
Johnson KA, Westberg HH, Michal JJ, Cossalman MW (2007) The SF6 tracer technique: methane measurement from ruminants. In ‘Measuring methane production from ruminants’. (Eds HPS Makkar, PE Vercoe) pp. 33–67. (Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands)
Martin C, Rouel J, Jouany JP, Doreau M, Chilliard Y (2008) Methane output and diet digestibility in response to feeding dairy cows crude linseed, extruded linseed, or linseed oil. Journal of Animal Science 86, 2642–2650.
| Methane output and diet digestibility in response to feeding dairy cows crude linseed, extruded linseed, or linseed oil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXht1ams7vF&md5=6db1c513144f0afa3532af58c64ffe27CAS | 18469051PubMed |
Pickering NK, Oddy VH, Basaeab J, Cammack K, Hayes B, Hegarty RS, Lassen J, McEwan JC, Miller S, Pinares-Patiño CS, de Haas Y (2015) Animal board invited review: genetic possibilities to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminants. Animal 9, 1431–1440.
| Animal board invited review: genetic possibilities to reduce enteric methane emissions from ruminants.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC2MXhtlOnurnN&md5=e528453b2c769598a2e2d1ca33f314efCAS | 26055577PubMed |
Renand G, Ricard E, Maupetit D, Thouly JC (2013) Variability among individual young beef bulls and heifers in methane emissions. In ‘Book of abstracts of EAAP 64th annual meeting, Nantes, France’. p. 195. (Wageningen Academic Publishers: Wageningen)
Reynolds CK, Crompton LA, Mills JAN (2011) Improving the efficiency of energy utilisation in cattle. Animal Production Science 51, 6–12.
| Improving the efficiency of energy utilisation in cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sauvant D, Schmidely P, Daudin JJ, St-Pierre NR (2008) Meta-analyses of experimental data in animal nutrition. Animal 2, 1203–1214.
| Meta-analyses of experimental data in animal nutrition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC38vptFShsA%3D%3D&md5=cf3029725c69d7709a11b0734f252f8eCAS | 22443733PubMed |
Ulyatt MJ, Baker SK, McCrabb GJ, Lassey KR (1999) Accuracy of SF6 tracer technology and alternatives for field measurements. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1329–1334.
| Accuracy of SF6 tracer technology and alternatives for field measurements.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vlaming JB, Lopez-Villalobos N, Brookes IM, Hoskin SO, Clark H (2008) Within- and between-animal variance in methane emissions in non-lactating dairy cows. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 124–127.
| Within- and between-animal variance in methane emissions in non-lactating dairy cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXovV2r&md5=014ece6c4876592d55c0cd9978c71461CAS |
