Association between fecal methanogen species with methane production and grazed forage intake of beef heifers classified for residual feed intake under drylot conditions

Objectives were to quantify the effect of post-weaning residual feed intake (RFI) on subsequent grazed forage intake, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Beef heifers classified for RFI adjusted for off-test backfat (RFIfat; 55 high and 56 low) at nine mo of age were monitored seven mo later for CH4 and CO2 emissions using the GreenFeed Emissions Monitoring system. Fifty-six of these heifers were also monitored as high and low RFIfat groups using Open Path Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (OP-FTIR). Heifers were dosed with one kg of C32 labelled pellets once daily for 15 d, with twice daily fecal sampling the last eight d to determine individual grazed forage intake using the n-alkane method. Low RFIfat pregnant heifers consumed less forage (10.25 vs. 10.81 kg DM d-1; P < 0.001), and emitted less daily CH4 (238.7 vs. 250.7 g d-1; P = 0.009) and CO2 (7578 vs. 8041 g d-1; P < 0.001) compared with high RFIfat animals. Results from the OP-FTIR further confirmed that low RFIfat heifers emitted 6.3% less (g d-1; P = 0.006) CH4 compared to their high RFIfat cohorts. Thus, selection for low RFIfat will decrease daily CH4 and CO2 emissions from beef cattle.

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Phenotypic modeling of residual feed intake using physical activity and methane production as energy sinks

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2019-17489 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 103 (8) ◽

pp. 6967-6981 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D.W. Olijhoek ◽

G.F. Difford ◽

P. Lund ◽

P. Løvendahl

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Feed Intake ◽

Methane Production ◽

Residual Feed Intake

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Feed efficiency and meat quality of crossbred beef heifers classified according to residual feed intake

Revista Brasileira de Saúde e Produção Animal ◽

10.1590/s1519-99402015000300014 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. 632-642 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Simone Frotas dos REIS ◽

Daiane Aparecida FAUSTO ◽

Sergio Raposo de MEDEIROS ◽

Pedro Veiga Rodrigues PAULINO ◽

Sebastião de Campos VALADARES FILHO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Meat Quality ◽

Feed Intake ◽

Feed Efficiency ◽

Residual Feed Intake ◽

Beef Heifers ◽

System A ◽

Fat Thickness ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

Sorghum Silage

AbstractThis study aimed to evaluate feed efficiency and meat quality of 31 three-crossbred beef heifers during 84 days in a feedlot system. A 60:40 concentrate and sorghum silage ration on DM basis (ME = 2.73Mcal/kg of DM, CP = 11.90% DM) was fed ad libitum. Based on residual feed intake (RFI) calculations, the heifers were ranked in three groups of feed efficiency: High RFI (average mean = 0.776; n = 9), medium RFI (average mean = -0.010; n = 11), and low RFI (average mean = - 0.624; n = 11). High RFI heifers consumed 4.56% more DM per day than low RFI heifers (P <0.05). The ADG did not differ (P> 0.05) among RFI groups (1.40kg/day). No differences (P>0.05) were detected for digestibility of the nutrients: DM (64.00%), CP (60.01%), crude fat (72.90%), NDF (54.80%) and non-fibrous carbohydrate (NFC) (78.91%). There were no differences between low and high RFI groups for slaughter weight (475.00 vs. 479.55kg), hot carcass weight (259.09 vs. 261.44kg), Longissimus dorsi (LD) area (69.02 vs. 68.11 cm2), back-fat thickness (5.74 vs. 6.26 cm), shear force (5.45 vs. 5.19kg), sensorial traits of LD muscle, LD color (intensities L=40.47 a*=24.74 and b*=16.13) or commercial cuts yield. Low RFI heifers presented similar meat quality and carcass traits as high RFI heifers, however low RFI heifers consumed less DM (kg/d).

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Effect of divergence in phenotypic residual feed intake on methane emissions, ruminal fermentation, and apparent whole-tract digestibility of beef heifers across three contrasting diets1

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.2527/jas.2015-0080 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 94 (3) ◽

pp. 1179-1193 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

R. P. McDonnell ◽

K. J. Hart ◽

T. M. Boland ◽

A. K. Kelly ◽

M. McGee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feed Intake ◽

Residual Feed Intake ◽

Methane Emissions ◽

Ruminal Fermentation ◽

Beef Heifers

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Methane and carbon dioxide emissions from yearling beef heifers and mature cows classified for residual feed intake under drylot conditions

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1139/cjas-2019-0032 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 100 (3) ◽

pp. 522-535 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

G. Manafiazar ◽

V.S. Baron ◽

L. McKeown ◽

H. Block ◽

K. Ominski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Dioxide ◽

Feed Intake ◽

Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽

Body Weight Gain ◽

Residual Feed Intake ◽

Individual Performance ◽

Feed Consumption ◽

Beef Heifers ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Rapid City

This study quantified methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production from beef heifers and cows classified for residual feed intake adjusted for off-test backfat thickness (RFIfat) and reared in drylot during cold winter temperatures. Individual performance, daily feed intake, and RFIfat were obtained for 1068 crossbred and purebred yearling heifers (eight trials) as well as 176 crossbred mature cows (six trials) during the winters of 2015–2017 at two locations. A portion of these heifers (147 high RFIfat; 167 low RFIfat) and cows (69 high RFIfat; 70 low RFIfat) was monitored for enteric CH4 and CO2 emissions using the GreenFeed Emissions Monitoring (GEM) system (C-Lock Inc., Rapid City, SD, USA). Low RFIfat cattle consumed less feed [heifers, 7.80 vs. 8.48 kg dry matter (DM) d−1; cows, 11.64 vs. 13.16 kg DM d−1] and emitted less daily CH4 (2.5% for heifers; 3.7% for cows) and CO2 (1.4% for heifers; 3.4% for cows) compared with high RFIfat cattle. However, low RFIfat heifers and cows had higher CH4 (6.2% for heifers; 9.9% for cows) and CO2 yield (7.3% for heifers; 9.8% for cows) per kilogram DM intake compared with their high RFIfat pen mates. The GEM system performed at air temperatures between +20 and −30 °C. Feed intake of heifers and mature cows was differently affected by ambient temperature reduction between +20 and −15 °C and similarly increased their feed intake at temperatures below −15 °C. In conclusion, low RFIfat animals emit less daily enteric CH4 and CO2, due mainly to lower feed consumption at equal body weight, gain, and fatness.

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