Abstract. The aim of the present study was to derive individual
methane (CH4) emissions in ewes separated in CH4 respiration and eructation
traits. The generated longitudinal CH4 data structure was used to estimate
phenotypic and genetic relationships between ewe CH4 records and energy
efficiency indicator traits from same ewes as well as from their lambs
(intergenerational perspective). In this regard, we recorded CH4 emissions
via mobile laser methane detector (LMD) technique, body weight (EBW),
backfat thickness (BFT) and body condition score (BCS) from 330 ewes (253
Merinoland (ML), 77 Rhön sheep (RH)) and their 629 lambs (478 ML, 151 RH). The interval between repeated measurements (for ewe traits and lamb
body weight (LBW)) was 3 weeks during lactation. For methane
concentration (µL L−1) determinations in the exhaled air, we
considered short time measurements (3 min). Afterwards, CH4 emissions
were portioned into a respiration and eructation fraction, based on a double
normal distribution. Data preparation enabled the following CH4 trait
definitions: mean CH4 concentration during respiration and eructation
(CH4r+e), mean CH4 concentration during respiration (CH4r), mean CH4
concentration during eructation (CH4e), sum of CH4 concentrations per minute
during respiration (CH4rsum), sum of CH4 concentrations per minute during
eructation (CH4esum), maximal CH4 concentration during respiration
(CH4rmax), maximal CH4 concentration during eructation (CH4emax), and
eructation events per minute (CH4event). Large levels of ewe CH4 emissions
representing energy losses were significantly associated with lower LBW
(P<0.05), lower EBW (P<0.01) and lower BFT (P<0.05). For genetic parameter estimations, we
applied single- and multiple-trait animal models. Heritabilities and additive
genetic variances for CH4 traits were small, i.e., heritabilities in the
range from <0.01 (CH4r+e, CH4r, CH4rmax, CH4esum) to 0.03
(CH4rsum). We estimated negative genetic correlations between CH4 traits and
EBW in the range from −0.44 (CH4r+e) to −0.05 (CH4rsum). Most of the CH4
traits were genetically negatively correlated with BCS (−0.81 for CH4esum)
and with BFT (−0.72 for CH4emax), indicating same genetic mechanisms for CH4
output and energy efficiency indicators. Addressing the intergenerational
aspect, genetic correlations between CH4 emissions from ewes and LBW ranged
between −0.35 (CH4r+e) and 0.01 (CH4rsum, CH4rmax), indicating that
breeding on reduced CH4 emissions (especially eructation traits) contribute
to genetic improvements in lamb weaning performance.