scholarly journals A meta-analysis of effects of dietary seaweed on beef and dairy cattle performance and methane yield

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0249053
Author(s):  
Ian J. Lean ◽  
Helen M. Golder ◽  
Tianna M. D. Grant ◽  
Peter J. Moate

There has been considerable interest in the use of red seaweed, and in particular Asparagopsis taxiformis, to increase production of cattle and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We hypothesized that feeding seaweed or seaweed derived products would increase beef or dairy cattle performance as indicated by average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency measures, milk production, and milk constituents, and reduce methane emissions. We used meta-analytical methods to evaluate these hypotheses. A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, Pubmed and ISI Web of Science produced 14 experiments from which 23 comparisons of treatment effects could be evaluated. Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) and brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) were the dominant seaweeds used. There were no effects of treatment on ADG or dry matter intake (DMI). While there was an increase in efficiency for feed to gain by 0.38 kg per kg [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.56; P = 0.001] on DerSimonian and Laird (D&L) evaluation, neither outcome was significant using the more rigorous robust regression analysis (P >0.06). The type of seaweed used was not a significant covariable for ADG and DMI, but A. nodosum fed cattle had lesser feed to gains efficiency compared to those fed A. taxiformis. Milk production was increased with treatment on weighted mean difference (WMD; 1.35 ± 0.44 kg/d; P <0.001); however, the SMD of 0.45 was not significant (P = 0.111). Extremely limited data suggest the possibility of increased percentages of milk fat (P = 0.040) and milk protein (P = 0.001) on (D&L) WMD evaluation. The limited data available indicate dietary supplementation with seaweed produced a significant and substantial reduction in methane yield by 5.28 ± 3.5 g/kg DMI (P = 0.003) on D&L WMD evaluation and a D&L SMD of −1.70 (P = 0.001); however, there was marked heterogeneity in the results (I2 > 80%). In one comparison, methane yield was reduced by 97%. We conclude that while there was evidence of potential for benefit from seaweed use to improve production and reduce methane yield more in vivo experiments are required to strengthen the evidence of effect and identify sources of heterogeneity in methane response, while practical applications and potential risks are evaluated for seaweed use.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian J. Lean ◽  
Helen M. Golder ◽  
Tianna M. D. Grant ◽  
Peter J. Moate

AbstractThere has been considerable interest in the use of red seaweed, and in particular Asparagopsis taxiformis, to increase production of cattle and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We hypothesized that feeding seaweed or seaweed derived products would increase beef or dairy cattle performance as indicated by average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency measures, milk production, and milk constituents, and reduce methane emissions. We used meta-analytical methods to evaluate these hypotheses. A comprehensive search of Google Scholar, Pubmed and ISI Web of Science produced 14 experiments from which 23 comparisons of treatment effects could be evaluated. Red seaweed (A. taxiformis) and brown seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) were the dominant seaweeds used. There were no effects of treatment on ADG or dry matter intake (DMI). There was an increase in efficiency for feed to gain by 0.41 ± 0.22 kg per kg [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.70 ± 0.35; P = 0.001], but not for gain to feed (P = 0.215), although the direction of the change was for improved efficiency. The type of seaweed used was not a significant covariable for ADG and DMI. Milk production was increased with treatment on weighted mean difference (WMD; 1.35 ± 0.44 kg/d; P <0.001); however, the SMD of 0.45 was not significant (P = 0.111). Extremely limited data suggest the possibility of increased percentages of milk fat (P = 0.040) and milk protein (P = 0.001) on DerSimonian and Laird (D&L) WMD evaluation. The limited data available indicate dietary supplementation with seaweed produced a significant and substantial reduction in methane yield by 5.28 ± 3.5 g/kg DMI (P = 0.003) on D&L WMD evaluation and a D&L SMD of −1.70 (P = 0.001); however, there was marked heterogeneity in the results (I2 > 80%). In one comparison, methane yield was reduced by 97%. We conclude that while there was evidence of potential for benefit from seaweed use to improve production and reduce methane yield more in vivo experiments are required to strengthen the evidence of effect and identify sources of heterogeneity in methane response, while practical applications and potential risks are evaluated for seaweed use.


1964 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Soller ◽  
R. Bar-Anan

In poultry and dairy cattle heterosis is occasionally found in crosses of different strains of the same breed (Hutt and Cole, 1952; Johansson, 1939; Nordskog and Ghostley, 1954). Limited data on the milk production of reciprocal crosses between Dutch and American strains of Friesian dairy cattle being available in Israel, an investigation was carried out to determine whether crossing these two strains resulted in a heterotic effect on milk production.


1951 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 961-968 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Miller ◽  
J. B. Frye ◽  
B. J. Burch ◽  
P. J. Henderson ◽  
L. L. Rusoff

2006 ◽  
Vol 2006 ◽  
pp. 86-86
Author(s):  
G Wellwood ◽  
J K Margerison

Mastitis is a complex disease causing inflammation of the udder, which has been estimated to cost the dairy farmer between £40-£117/cow per year (Stott et al., 2002). Economic loss occurs as a result of discarded milk, reduced milk yield and milk quality, increased vet costs and an increase in replacement costs. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of breed on the incidence of mastitis and somatic cell counts and milk production capabilities of Holstein Friesian, Brown Swiss and Brown Swiss crossbred cows.


2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 385-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Reinemann ◽  
L. E. Stetson ◽  
N. E. Laughlin ◽  
S. D. LeMire

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 694
Author(s):  
Michaela Gibson ◽  
Rebecca Hickson ◽  
Penny Back ◽  
Keren Dittmer ◽  
Nicola Schreurs ◽  
...  

In cattle, limited data have been reported about the relationship between live weight, bone size, and strength and how this relationship can be altered by factors such as sex and age. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship of peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT)-derived parameters of bone strength and morphology with live weight, age and sex in beef-cross-dairy cattle. All animals were weighed the day before slaughter. The metacarpus and humerus were collected at slaughter and scanned at the mid-diaphysis using pQCT. Live weight was the primary explanatory variable for bone size and strength in all cohorts. However, the effect of age was significant, such that magnitude of response to liveweight was less in the 24-month-old cohort. Sex was significant within cohorts in that bulls had a shorter metacarpus than steers and heifers had a shorter metacarpus than steers at age of slaughter.


1983 ◽  
Vol 66 (11) ◽  
pp. 2329-2336 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.S. Dufva ◽  
E.E. Bartley ◽  
A.D. Dayton ◽  
D.O. Riddell
Keyword(s):  

2014 ◽  
Vol 169 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehdi Bohlouli ◽  
Jalil Shodja ◽  
Sadegh Alijani ◽  
Nasrollah Pirany

1966 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1042-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. F. Wilson ◽  
F. H. McDowall

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