Methane production and nitrogen balance of dairy heifers grazing palisade grass cv. Marandu alone or with forage peanut

Abstract Livestock production systems are an essential agribusiness activity in Brazil, but a critical challenge of Brazilian farmers is to maintain the equilibrium of the ecosystem, using herbage resources efficiently with a minimum impact on the environment. Nitrogen (N) fertilization and the inclusion of forage legumes into tropical grass pastures are management strategies which increase the productivity and nutritive value of pastures and may also affect methane (CH4) production by ruminants. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of either fertilizing palisade grass pastures with N or including the forage peanut (Arachis pintoi) into grass pastures on enteric CH4 emission, microbial protein production in the rumen via purine derivatives in the urine, and N balance. Twenty-one nonlactating crossbred dairy heifers were used in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments. The treatments consisted of pastures of palisade grass without N fertilization (control), fertilized with urea (fertilized), and palisade grass mixed with forage peanut (mixed). Seven animals (replications) were used to evaluate dry matter intake, digestibility, CH4 emission, urea, purine derivatives, and volume of urine, and N ingestion and excretion. Four paddocks (replications) were used to measure herbage mass; morphological, botanical, and chemical composition of herbage; and herbage allowance. The CH4 emissions were determined using the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer gas technique. The efficiency of N utilization (ENU) was calculated using the N balance data. Crude protein (CP) concentration of herbage increased with fertilization or legumes inclusion (P < 0.0001) while neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration decreased (P = 0.0355). The leaf allowance was higher in the fertilized treatment (P = 0.0294). Only uric acid excretion increased with N fertilization (P = 0.0204). The ENU was not affected by fertilized or mixed compared to control and averaged 55% (P = 0.8945). The enteric CH4 production was similar between treatments and averaged 129 g/d (P = 0.3989). We concluded that the changes in chemical composition of herbage provided by N fertilization or the inclusion of the legume showed no reduction in enteric CH4 emissions, but the ENU was more significant than previous studies with palisade grass, suggesting that different management strategies might alter the ENU under grazing conditions.

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Protein and Carbohydrate Fractions in Warm-Season Pastures: Effects of Nitrogen Management Strategies

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11050847 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 847

Author(s):

Andressa S. Berça ◽

Abmael da S. Cardoso ◽

Vanessa Z. Longhini ◽

Luís O. Tedeschi ◽

Robert Michael Boddey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Nitrogen Fertilization ◽

Accumulation Rate ◽

Management Strategies ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Neutral Detergent Fiber ◽

Source Control ◽

True Protein ◽

N Management ◽

The Impact

Nitrogen (N) management affects herbage production and chemical composition; however, information on the impact of tropical herbage on N and carbohydrate fractions is scarce. A two-year study was conducted to investigate the potential use of pintoi peanut (Arachis pintoi) compared with N fertilization of palisade grass (Brachiariabrizantha cv. Marandu) by evaluating the herbage chemical composition (fractionation of protein and carbohydrate), herbage mass and accumulation rate, herbage disappearance rate, and stocking rate of pastures. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three treatments, and four replications (paddocks) were used with twenty-one non-lactating crossbred dairy heifers. Treatments consisted of pastures of palisade grass without a N source (control), fertilized with urea (150 kg/ha/year; fertilized), or mixed with pintoi peanut (mixed). Inclusion of the legume increased concentrations of fractions A (p = 0.009), which is the soluble N compound, and B3 (p < 0.001), which is slowly degraded true protein, compared with pastures fertilized with N and non-fertilized pastures. Nitrogen fertilization increased fraction B1 + B2 (p = 0.046), mainly true proteins, and decreased fraction C (p = 0.0007), indigestible protein, and neutral detergent fiber concentrations (p = 0.0003), contributing to increasing the nutritive value of the herbage. Additionally, N fertilization increased herbage mass (p = 0.004) and herbage allowance (p = 0.0001). Both N fertilization and biologically fixed N increased herbage allowance (p = 0.02) and accumulation rate (p = 0.02), as well as the crude protein content of herbage (p < 0.0001) compared with non-fertilized pastures. Nitrogen fertilization increased true protein and decreased indigestible protein of herbage and promoted a greater herbage mass production, while the inclusion of legumes increased soluble protein and decreased the slowly degraded true protein of herbage. Both N management strategies increased herbage allowance and accumulation rate.

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Climate Change and Goat Production: Enteric Methane Emission and Its Mitigation

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani8120235 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 235 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Pratap Pragna ◽

Surinder S. Chauhan ◽

Veerasamy Sejian ◽

Brian J. Leury ◽

Frank R. Dunshea

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Heat Stress ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Climate Scenario ◽

Rumen Fermentation ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Changing Climate ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Enteric Methane ◽

The Impact

The ability of an animal to cope and adapt itself to the changing climate virtually depends on the function of rumen and rumen inhabitants such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, virus and archaea. Elevated ambient temperature during the summer months can have a significant influence on the basic physiology of the rumen, thereby affecting the nutritional status of the animals. Rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) production decreases under conditions of extreme heat. Growing recent evidence suggests there are genetic variations among breeds of goats in the impact of heat stress on rumen fermentation pattern and VFA production. Most of the effects of heat stress on rumen fermentation and enteric methane (CH4) emission are attributed to differences in the rumen microbial population. Heat stress-induced rumen function impairment is mainly associated with an increase in Streptococcus genus bacteria and with a decrease in the bacteria of Fibrobactor genus. Apart from its major role in global warming and greenhouse effect, enteric CH4 is also considered as a dietary energy loss in goats. These effects warrant mitigating against CH4 production to ensure optimum economic return from goat farming as well as to reduce the impact on global warming as CH4 is one of the more potent greenhouse gases (GHG). The various strategies that can be implemented to mitigate enteric CH4 emission include nutritional interventions, different management strategies and applying advanced biotechnological tools to find solution to reduce CH4 production. Through these advanced technologies, it is possible to identify genetically superior animals with less CH4 production per unit feed intake. These efforts can help the farming community to sustain goat production in the changing climate scenario.

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Feeding lucerne silage to beef cattle at three allowances and four feeding frequencies affects circadian patterns of methane emissions, but not emissions per unit of intake

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an14235 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 54 (9) ◽

pp. 1350 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Arjan Jonker ◽

German Molano ◽

Christopher Antwi ◽

Garry Waghorn

Keyword(s):

Emission Rate ◽

Circadian Variation ◽

Emission Rates ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Feeding Frequency ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Time To Peak ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Ad Libitum ◽

Circadian Patterns

The objective of this study was to determine the circadian variation in methane (CH4) emissions from cattle fed lucerne silage at different feeding levels and feeding frequencies, to assist with interpretation of short ‘snapshot’ CH4 measurements used for predicting daily emissions. Eight Hereford × Friesian heifers (initially 20 months of age) were used in five consecutive periods (P1–5) of 14 days with CH4 emissions measured using respiration chambers for two consecutive days at the end of each period. Feed was restricted to intakes of ~6, 8, 8, 8 and 11 ± 1.3 (ad libitum) kg lucerne silage dry matter (DM), fed in 2, 2, 3, 4 or ad libitum (refilled twice daily) meals per day in P1–5, respectively. Daily CH4 production (g/day) was lower in P1 than in P2–4 (P < 0.05), which were lower than in P5 (P < 0.05), but CH4 yield (24.3 ± 1.23 g/kg DM) was unaffected by treatment. Among the five periods, CH4 emission rate (g/h) before feeding ranged from 1.8 to 6.5 g/h, time to peak CH4 production after start of feeding ranged from 19 to 40 min and peak CH4 production rate ranged from 11.1 to 17.5 g/h. The range in hourly CH4 emission rates during the day decreased with increasing feed intake level, but was unaffected by feeding frequency. In summary, the circadian pattern of CH4 emissions was affected by feed allowance and feeding frequency, and variation in CH4 emission rate was reduced with increasing intake, without affecting average daily yield (g CH4/kg DM intake).

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Hysteretic temperature sensitivity of wetland CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes explained by substrate availability and microbial activity

10.5194/bg-2020-177 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kuang-Yu Chang ◽

William J. Riley ◽

Patrick M. Crill ◽

Robert F. Grant ◽

Scott R. Saleska

Keyword(s):

Temperature Sensitivity ◽

Global Climate ◽

Mechanistic Modeling ◽

Biogeochemical Model ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Substrate Availability ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Biogeochemical Models ◽

Abiotic Interactions

Abstract. Methane (CH4) emissions from wetlands are likely increasing and important in global climate change assessments. However, contemporary terrestrial biogeochemical model predictions of CH4 emissions are very uncertain, at least in part due to prescribed temperature sensitivity of CH4 production and emission. While statistically consistent apparent CH4 emission temperature dependencies have been inferred from meta-analyses across microbial to ecosystem scales, year-round ecosystem-scale observations have contradicted that finding. Using flux observations and mechanistic modeling in two heavily studied high-latitude research sites (Stordalen, Sweden, and Utqiaġvik, Alaska, USA), we show here that substrate-mediated hysteretic microbial and abiotic interactions lead to intra-seasonally varying temperature sensitivity of CH4 production and emission. We find that seasonally varying substrate availability drives lower and higher modeled methanogen biomass and activity, and thereby CH4 production, during the earlier and later periods of the thawed season, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the uncertainty of inferring CH4 emission or production from temperature alone, and highlight the need to represent microbial and abiotic interactions in wetland biogeochemical models.

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Evaluating alternative ebullition models for predicting peatland methane emission and its pathways via data-model fusion

10.5194/bg-2021-316 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Shuang Ma ◽

Lifen Jiang ◽

Rachel M. Wilson ◽

Jeff P. Chanton ◽

Scott Bridgham ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Model Parameters ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Deep Soil ◽

Concentration Data ◽

Ch4 Flux ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Underlying Mechanisms ◽

Improved Model ◽

Threshold Approach

Abstract. Understanding the dynamics of peatland methane (CH4) emissions and quantifying sources of uncertainty in estimating peatland CH4 emissions are critical for mitigating climate change. The relative contributions of CH4 emission pathways through ebullition, plant-mediated transport, and diffusion together with their different transport rates and vulnerability to oxidation determine the quantity of CH4 to be oxidized before leaving the soil. Notwithstanding their importance, the relative contributions of the emission pathways have not been well characterized by experiments or modeling approaches. In particular, the ebullition process is more uncertain and can lead to large uncertainties in modeled CH4 emissions. To improve model simulations of CH4 emission and its pathways, we evaluated two model structures: 1) the Ebullition Bubble Growth volume threshold approach (EBG) and 2) the modified Ebullition Concentration Threshold approach (ECT) using CH4 flux and concentration data collected in a peatland in northern Minnesota, USA. When model parameters were constrained using observed CH4 fluxes, the CH4 emissions simulated by the EBG approach (RMSE = 0.53) had a better agreement with observations than the ECT approach (RMSE = 0.61). Further, the EBG approach simulated a smaller contribution from ebullition but more frequent ebullition events than the ECT approach. The EBG approach yielded greatly improved simulations of pore water CH4 concentrations, especially in the deep soil layers, compared to the ECT approach. When constraining the EBG model with both CH4 flux and concentration data in model-data fusion, uncertainty of the modeled CH4 concentration profiles was reduced by 78 to 86 % in comparison to constraints based on CH4 flux data alone. The improved model capability was attributed to the well-constrained parameters regulating the CH4 production and emission pathways. Our results suggest that the EBG modeling approach better characterizes CH4 emission and underlying mechanisms. Moreover, to achieve the best model results both CH4 flux and concentration data are required to constrain model parameterization.

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Hysteretic temperature sensitivity of wetland CH<sub>4</sub> fluxes explained by substrate availability and microbial activity

Biogeosciences ◽

10.5194/bg-17-5849-2020 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (22) ◽

pp. 5849-5860

Author(s):

Kuang-Yu Chang ◽

William J. Riley ◽

Patrick M. Crill ◽

Robert F. Grant ◽

Scott R. Saleska

Keyword(s):

Temperature Sensitivity ◽

Seasonal Variability ◽

Global Climate ◽

Biogeochemical Model ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Substrate Availability ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Biogeochemical Models ◽

Abiotic Interactions

Abstract. Methane (CH4) emissions from wetlands are likely increasing and important in global climate change assessments. However, contemporary terrestrial biogeochemical model predictions of CH4 emissions are very uncertain, at least in part due to prescribed temperature sensitivity of CH4 production and emission. While statistically consistent apparent CH4 emission temperature dependencies have been inferred from meta-analyses across microbial to ecosystem scales, year-round ecosystem-scale observations have contradicted that finding. Here, we show that apparent CH4 emission temperature dependencies inferred from year-round chamber measurements exhibit substantial intra-seasonal variability, suggesting that using static temperature relations to predict CH4 emissions is mechanistically flawed. Our model results indicate that such intra-seasonal variability is driven by substrate-mediated microbial and abiotic interactions: seasonal cycles in substrate availability favors CH4 production later in the season, leading to hysteretic temperature sensitivity of CH4 production and emission. Our findings demonstrate the uncertainty of inferring CH4 emission or production rates from temperature alone and highlight the need to represent microbial and abiotic interactions in wetland biogeochemical models.

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Pendugaan Emisi Metana pada Sistem Pengelolaan Tanaman Padi di Kabupaten Minahasa (The Estimation of Methane Emission in The Rice Management System in Minahasa Rregency)

JURNAL BIOS LOGOS ◽

10.35799/jbl.2.1.2012.378 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Susan Marlein Mambu

Keyword(s):

Methane Emission ◽

Rice Fields ◽

Soil Types ◽

Wetland Rice ◽

Calculation Formula ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Irrigated Rice ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Over Time

AbstrakPemanasan bumi secara global karena emisi gas rumah kaca ke atmosfir yang disebabkan oleh kegiatan manusia, cenderung mengalami peningkatan dari waktu ke waktu. Pertanian padi sawah, khususnya sawah teririgasi juga merupakan penyumbang terbesar gas metana ke atmosfer. Oleh karena itu, perlu adanya upaya pengurangan emisi CH4 dari kegiatan budidaya tanaman padi sawah. Penelitian dilakukan untuk mengetahui emisi CH4 dari budidaya padi sawah di kabupaten Minahasa, dengan melakukan estimasi emisi CH4 menggunakan model perhitungan formula untuk estimasi emisi CH4 pada padi sawah. Hasil penelitian ini memberikan informasi keberadaan CH4 dan jumlah produksi emisi CH4 dari lahan padi sawah di Kabupaten Minahasa, yang cenderung mengalami peningkatan dari tahun ke tahun (data tahun 2002 – 2010). Peningkatan emisi CH4 dari lahan padi sawah di Kabupaten Minahasa disebabkan oleh beberapa faktor yaitu luas panen, jenis tanah, jenis varietas, jenis pengairan dan kegiatan budidaya lainnya seperti pemupukan dan pemberian bahan organik (jerami).Kata kunci: emisi metana, padi sawahAbstractGlobal warming from greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere that is caused by human activities tends to be increased over time. Fields of wetland rice, particularly irrigated rice, are also the largest contributor to methane gas to the atmosphere. Therefore, CH4 emissions should be reduced from paddy rice cultivation. This research aimed to measure the production of CH4 emission in the wetland rice fields of Minahasa, using a model calculation formula to estimate CH4 emissions in the rice fields. The results informed the existence and the amount of CH4 production resulted from wetland rice fields in Minahasa, which tended to be increased from year to year (data of year 2002 to 2010). The increment of CH4 emission from wetland rice fields in Minahasa was caused by several factors, i.e. the harvested area, soil types, types of variety, types of irrigation and other cultivation activities such as fertilization and providing organic material (straw).Keywords: methane emission, wetland rice

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Methane Emissions from Ruminant Livestock in Ethiopia: Promising Forage Species to Reduce CH4 Emissions

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture9060130 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 130 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yonas Berhanu ◽

Lars Olav ◽

Ajebu Nurfeta ◽

Ayana Angassa ◽

Jens B. Aune

Keyword(s):

Chemical Composition ◽

Threshold Value ◽

Lablab Purpureus ◽

Moringa Stenopetala ◽

Maize Stover ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Acid Detergent Fibre ◽

Ch4 Concentration

This paper assesses the ability of fodder plants to reduce methane (CH4) emissions while simultaneously improving animal productivity in Ethiopia. Enteric CH4 emissions from ruminants in Ethiopia increased by 12% or ≈ 6197 Gg CO2-eq. in 2017 compared to the year 2011. In this study, six tropical multipurpose forages (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit, Moringa stenopetala (Bak.f.) Cuf., Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr., Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp., Crotalaria juncea L., and Lablab purpureus L.(Sweet)) and maize stover were characterized in terms of chemical composition, in vitro CH4 production, and CH4 concentration (%). The objective was to identify forages with low CH4 production potential but with adequate forage quality. The forages differed significantly in chemical composition and in enteric CH4 emission. The dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) ranged between 89.4–95.4%, 6.08–12.5%, 3.3–30.7%, 20.4–76.0%, 10.8–44.8, and 2.9–14.1%, respectively. All forage plants, except maize stover, contained high CP content above a threshold value (i.e., 7%). Cajanus c. generates the lowest amount of CH4 (32.83 mL/0.2 g DM incubated). CH4 concentration (%) was used as a potential indicator to determine the capacity of a plant to lower CH4 production. Among the studied species, L. purpureus showed the highest CH4 reduction potential (16%) followed by C. juncea (23.45%), M. stenopetala (24.2%), and L. leucocephala (25.5%). Moringa s. was the most frequently preferred by the farmers followed by C. juncea and L. leucocephala. We concluded that M. stenopetala, C. juncea, and L. leucocephala can be promoted as valuable feed resources for ruminants while simultaneously reducing CH4 emissions.

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Methane emissions from paddy grown on mineral soil over peat in central Hokkaido, Japan

10.20944/preprints201801.0162.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Habib Mohammad Naser ◽

Osamu Nagata ◽

Satsuki Tamura ◽

Sarmin Sultana ◽

Ryusuke Hatano

Keyword(s):

Crop Residue ◽

Crop Residues ◽

Mineral Soil ◽

Growing Season ◽

Paddy Fields ◽

Residue Management ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Soil Thickness ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production

This study was carried out at Kita-mura near Bibai located in central Hokkaido, Japan, with the intention of investigating the effects of different agronomical managements on CH4 emissions from paddy fields on mineral soil over peat under farmers’ actual management conditions in the snowy temperate region. Four fields were studied, including two fields with twice drainage (D1-M and D2-M) and also a single-drainage field (D3-S) under single-cropping yr-1 and a paddy-fallow-paddy crop rotation as their systems. The other field was under single cropping yr-1 with continuous flooding (CF-R) in the pattern of soybean (upland crop)-fallow-paddy. The mineral-soil thickness of these soil-dressed peatland fields varied from 20 to 47 cm. The amount of crop residues leftover in the fields ranged from 277 to 751 g dry matter m−2. Total CH4 emissions ranged from 25.3 to 116 g CH4-C m−2 per growing season. There was a significant relationship between crop-residue carbon (C) and total CH4 emissions during the rice-growing season. This study, therefore, CH4 fluxes from paddy soils in that there was a strong interaction between readily available C source for methanogens and anaerobic conditions created by water management. Despite the differences in water regime and soil type, the average values of straw’s efficiency on CH4 production in this study were significantly higher than those of southern Japan and statistically identical with central Hokkaido. Our results suggest that the environmental conditions of central Hokkaido in association with crop-residue management had a significant influence on CH4 emission from paddy fields on mineral soil over peat. Rotation soybean (upland)-to-paddy followed by drainage twice practices also largely reduces CH4 emission. However, mineral-soil dressing on peat could have a significant impact to suppress CH4 emission from beneath the peat reservoir.

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Water Table Fluctuation and Methane Emission in Pineapples (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.) Cultivated on a Tropical Peatland

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11081448 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 1448

Author(s):

Wendy Luta ◽

Osumanu Haruna Ahmed ◽

Latifah Omar ◽

Roland Kueh Jui Heng ◽

Liza Nuriati Lim Kim Choo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Table ◽

Peat Soil ◽

High Water ◽

Ch4 Emission ◽

Peat Soils ◽

Water Table Fluctuation ◽

Tropical Peatland ◽

Ch4 Emissions ◽

Ch4 Production ◽

Field Lysimeters

Inappropriate drainage and agricultural development on tropical peatland may lead to an increase in methane (CH4) emission, thus expediting the rate of global warming and climate change. It was hypothesized that water table fluctuation affects CH4 emission in pineapple cultivation on tropical peat soils. The objectives of this study were to: (i) quantify CH4 emission from a tropical peat soil cultivated with pineapple and (ii) determine the effects of water table depth on CH4 emission from a peat soil under simulated water table fluctuation. Soil CH4 emissions from an open field pineapple cultivation system and field lysimeters were determined using the closed chamber method. High-density polyethylene field lysimeters were set up to simulate the natural condition of cultivated drained peat soils under different water table fluctuations. The soil CH4 flux was measured at five time intervals to obtain a 24 h CH4 emission in the dry and wet seasons during low- and high-water tables. Soil CH4 emissions from open field pineapple cultivation were significantly lower compared with field lysimeters under simulated water table fluctuation. Soil CH4 emissions throughout the dry and wet seasons irrespective of water table fluctuation were not affected by soil temperature but emissions were influenced by the balance between methanogenic and methanotrophic microorganisms controlling CH4 production and consumption, CH4 transportation through molecular diffusion via peat pore spaces, and non-microbial CH4 production in peat soils. Findings from the study suggest that water table fluctuation at the soil–water interface relatively controls the soil CH4 emission from lysimeters under simulated low- and high-water table fluctuation. The findings of this study provide an understanding of the effects of water table fluctuation on CH4 emission in a tropical peatland cultivated with pineapple.

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