Effects of dietary feeding strategies on greenhouse gas production by ruminants

Chris Reynolds, L. A. Crompton, J. A. N. Mills, and D. I. Givens School of Agriculture, Policy, and Development
04 July 2013 University of Reading 2008 www.reading.ac.uk

Ruminant Nutrition and the Environment

1. Methane green house gas (GHG) 2. Nitrogen nitrates, N2O (GHG), NH3 - eutrophication, air quality 3. Phosphorus eutrophication 4. Manure all of the above +

From The Times

July 10, 2007

How to stop cows burping is the new field work on climate change

From The Times

July 10, 2007

From The Times How to27, stop October 2009 cows

burping is the new field work on

climate change

Climate chief Lord Stern: give up meat to save the planet

Methane is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas

Methane Energy Loss - $$$ and GHG

Per molecule methane ~25 x global warming effect of CO2 Waste of feed energy 2 to 12 % Concern for the carbon footprint of milk, beef and lamb
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Ruminant Farm Animals as Methane Producers

Agriculture contributes 43% to the UKs emissions of CH4
~ 3 % of total GHG

IPCC two sources 85% fermentation 15% manure Proportion is increasing Dairy farming accounts for 30% Major target for mitigation Beef and sheep 65%

Ruminants and Greenhouse Gasses a Hot Topic!!!

Methane Energy Loss

Bratzler and Forbes, 1940.

8

Nitrogen and Methane Excretion Studies at Reading

Respiration calorimeters and digestion trials

Methane Energy Loss

35 30

25

Methane (MJ/d)

20

15

10

0 0 10 20 30

Dry matter intake (kg/d)

Mills et al., 2009.

10

Where Does Methane Come From?

Rumen fermentation yields H2 Methanogenesis is a sink for H2 C02 reduced to CH4 Fermentation also occurs in hind gut and in manure H2 Source H2 Sink
Acetate Butyrate Propionate Valerate Microbial growth with amino acids Microbial growth with ammonia Lipid Hydrogenation unsaturated fatty acids Methane CO2 + 4H2 CH4 +2H2O Zero pool scheme EXCESS

H2

Herd Level Actions to Reduce Methane

Reduce the overhead of non-producing or low producing animals will deliver less methane per litre of milk Increased health and fertility leading to reduced culling rates Extended lactations Reduced age at first calving Genetic selection for residual feed intake

Methane Energy Loss

0.8 0.6

Methane/milk energy

0.4

0.2

0.0 0 20 40 60

Milk yield (kg/d)

Mills et al., 2009.

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Dietary Carbohydrates
Methane production is related to intake On average 30 litre/kg DMI 6.5% gross energy intake (dairy cows) Fibre digestion leads to excess hydrogen and hence methane Replacing a proportion of the fibre with starchy feedstuffs will reduce methane per kg DMI Forage quality (digestibility) important Consider Starch:ADF ratio as an indicator

Effect of Forage Type on Methane Production by Lactating Dairy Cows

40 30 20 10 0

87%

CH4, L/kg DMI

Maize
DEFRA Project AC0209

Grass

Dietary Fat and Methane

Grainger and Beauchemin, 2010.

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Supplemental Fat and Methane

Supplemental fats reduce methane per unit feed DMI
Supply energy that does not contribute to methanogenesis

Polyunsaturated fats and saturated medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) are particularly effective microbial effects? Unsaturated fats a sink for hydrogen
May limit fibre digestion

MCFA may have less adverse effects on diet digestibility, whilst still reducing methane
negative effects on DMI?

Effect Of Milled Rapeseed On Methane Production By Lactating Dairy Cows

700 600

Methane (l/d)

500 400 300 200 100 0 Con x2 RS x2 RS x1 RS4/5 x1

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DEFRA Project LS3656

Effect Of Milled Rapeseed On Methane Production By Lactating Dairy Cows

35 30

Methane (l/kg DMI)

P<0.1

P<0.1

25 20 15 10 5 0 Con x2 RS x2 RS x1 RS4/5 x1
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Effect Of Milled Rapeseed On Methane Production By Lactating Dairy Cows

25

Methane (l/kg milk)

20

15 10 5 0 Con x2 RS x2

RS x1 RS4/5 x1
20

DEFRA Project LS3656

Effect Of Milled Rapeseed On Milk Fatty Acid Composition Of Lactating Dairy Cows
80
Total saturates Total cis MUFAs

Milk fatty acids (g/100 g fa)

60

40

20

0 Con x2
DEFRA Project LS3656

RS x2

RS x1 RS4/5 x1
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Predicting Methane Using Milk Fatty Acid Concentrations

Dijkstra et al., 2010.

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Dietary Additives
Organic dicarboxylic acids
Aspartate, malate and fumarate Potential propionate precursors Compete for available H2 pool Large dose required for relatively small effect? Low rumen pH Unpalatable Effects in sheep not repeated in dairy cows

Nitrites, sulfites, chloral hydrocarbons, etc.

NO3 SO4 in Sheep

Van Zijderveld et al., 2009.

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Feed Additives
Plant extracts Tannins Anti-methanogen effect Inhibition of fibre degradation Saponins Anti-nutritional factor Defaunation action Extensive screening programs for bioactive plant components that improve rumen fermentation Ionophores and other antimicrobials
Adaptation?

Effect of Supplements on Methane Production by Lactating Dairy Cows

30

Methane, L/kg DMI

25 20 15 10 5 0 Control Glycerol Allicin Naked oats

88%
P < 0.10

DEFRA Project AC0209

Effect of Supplements on Methane Production by Lactating Dairy Cows

25

20

Methane, L/L milk

P < 0.01

15

10

0 Control
DEFRA Project AC0209

Glycerol

Allicin

Naked oats
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Nitrogen Inputs and Outputs in Dairy Cows

N INTAKE 503 g/day

URINE N 37%

FAECAL N MILK N 28% 33%

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The Nitrogen Cycle

Purchased feed Milk (and meat) ~25%

~75% Crops ~50% Soil N fixation

J. Moorby, 2008

Manure NH3

Fertiliser Nitrate N2O, ~50% NOx

Nitrous Oxide Emissions: 1990 - 2005

Nitrogen Excretion in Dairy Cows

urine

milk faeces

Kebreab et al., 2000.

Milk N/Intake N versus N Intake

Mills et al., 2009

Efficiency of Dietary N Utilization for Milk Protein Production

%
Milk N as a Percentage of N Intake

40 30 20 10 0

129%

114%

100%

14% CP
Maize

16% CP

18% CP
Grass

DEFRA Project AC0209 N intakes lower for grass-based ration

Varying NDF quality in grass diets

18 kg DM/d (90% grass & 10% concentrates)
22.0 20.0 18.0 16.0 14.0 12.0 10.0 GH GS-EC GS-LC

18.0 16.0 g CH4 / kg FPCM 14.0 12.0 10.0 8.0 6.0 GH GS-EC GS-LC

g CH4 / kg DM

GH = grass herbage; GS = grass silage EC = early cut; LC = late cut = high N-fertilization = low N-fertilization

Bannink et al., 2010

NDF quality & methane A. Bannink

Reducing Greenhouse Gasses

Methane numerous dietary approaches show promise
Dietary carbohydrate and fat have effects
Starch:ADF ratio as an indicator

Numerous supplements/additives
Reductions observed in sheep typically not realized in lactating dairy cows

Nitrates, nitrous oxide and ammonia

Feed less protein how low can we go?
Reduced yield may increase methane inventory

Future Perspectives
How can we improve efficiency in ruminant milk and meat production systems and limit environmental impacts?
Improvements in genetics, nutrition, and technologyR e.g. feed additives, selection indices, etc. Adoption of best practice in feeding and management

System approaches and assessments

The roles of extensive and intensive systems Must consider wider impacts of specific mitigation options Exploiting the virtues of ruminants and grasslands
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