A supplement added to the feed of high-producing dairy cows reduced methane emissions by 30 percent and could have ramifications for global climate change, according to an international team of researchers.
In addition, over the course of the 12-week study conducted at Penn State's dairy barns, cows that consumed a feed regimen supplemented by the novel methane inhibitor 3-nitrooxypropanol -- or 3NOP -- gained 80 percent more body weight than cows in a control group. Significantly, feed intake, fiber digestibility and milk production by cows that consumed the supplement did not decrease.
The 3NOP supplement blocks an enzyme necessary to catalyze the last step of methane creation by the microbes in the rumen.
It was important to conduct the study under industry-relevant conditions, said lead researcher Alexander Hristov, professor of dairy nutrition. "We tested methane-mitigation compounds using animals with similar productivity to those on commercial farms because the nutrient requirements of high-producing dairy cows are much greater than those of non-lactating or low-producing cows," he explained. "Any reduction in feed intake caused by a methane-mitigation compound or practice would likely result in decreased productivity -- which may not be evident in low- producing cows."
Methane expulsion through burping represents a net loss of feed energy for livestock, Hristov noted, adding that a high-producing dairy cow typically emits 450 to 550 grams per day of ruminal gas produced by fermentation. The spared methane energy was used partially for tissue synthesis, which led to a greater body weight gain by the inhibitor-treated cows.
The 48 Holsteins in the study received varying amounts of the inhibitor in their feed and were observed at regular daily intervals over three months. Their methane emissions were measured when the cows put their heads into feeding chambers that had atmospheric measurement sensors, and also through nostril tubes attached to canisters on their backs.
In recent years animal scientists have tested a number of chemical compounds to inhibit methane production in ruminants, and one even achieved a 60 percent reduction, Hristov said. However, the viability of that and other compounds as mitigation agents has been discounted due to concerns about animal health, food safety or environmental impact.
The 3NOP compound, developed by DSM Nutritional Products, a Dutch company seems to be safe and effective, Hristov said. If approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and adopted by the agricultural industry, this methane inhibitor could have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions from the livestock sector, Hristov suggested. But producers will have to have an incentive to use the feed additive. "It is going to cost money for dairy producers to put this into practice, and if they don't see a benefit from it, they are not going to do it," he said.
"The thing that is critical is body gain -- dairy cows go through phases, and they lose a lot of weight when they calve. They don't eat enough, and they produce a lot of milk and lose weight, so if we can cut down the energy loss with the inhibitor, the animals will gain more body weight and recover more quickly. Further, they may produce more milk in early lactation and have improved reproduction. It's something that will convince producers to use it."
Feed supplement greatly reduces dairy cow methane emissions
Pig farmers can increase growth performance and reduce mortality by improving facilities and management practices, scientists have found.
Researchers from the University of Barcelona conducted a survey to investigate how pig management and farm facilities affect performance, including total feed intake (TFI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and pig mortality.
Analysis showed that the factors which had a large positive impact on production included single spaced feeders with drinkers incorporated, having less than 50 per cent slatted floor, split-sex pens and where automatic ventilation systems were used.
Data was collected by survey of over 450,000 Pietrain sired pigs. These came from 310 batches from 244 grow-finish farms owned by six Spanish pig companies from 2008-2009. The survey collected data on the farm facilities including floor type, feeders, ventilation and number of pigs per pen. It also collected management data on the season of placement (when the batches of pigs were placed into the pens), use of split-sex pens, number of pig origins, source of water and initial and final body weight.
Feed accounts for up to 75 per cent of the production cost of pork and with 75 per cent of feed consumed during the grow-finish phase, it the most expensive phase of the pig production cycle. Therefore, opportunities to optimise feeding efficiency and reduce losses will have significant economic benefits.
The scientists found that season had an impact on the pigs’ performance. Batches of grow-finish pigs placed between January and March had higher TFI, FCR and mortality than those placed between July and Septembe
Batches which had split-sex pens had lower TFI and better FCR than those with mixed-sex pens and batches filled with pigs from multiple origins had higher mortality than those from a single origin.
Pigs fed with a single-space feeder with incorporated drinker had the lowest TFI and best FCR compared to single and multi-space feeders without a drinker.
A better FCR was also seen in pigs kept on floors with less than 50 per cent slats compared to pigs kept in pens with more than 50 per cent slatted floor.
The different facilities and management practices explained 62 per cent of the variation in total feed intake, 25 per cent of the variation in feed conversion efficiency and 20 per cent of the variation in mortality.