The hidden roots of wetland methane emissions.

Wetlands are the largest natural source of methane (CH4 ) globally. Climate and land use change are expected to alter CH4 emissions but current and future wetland CH4 budgets remain uncertain. One important predictor of wetland CH4 flux, plants, play an important role in providing substrates for CH4 -producing microbes, increasing CH4 consumption by oxygenating the rhizosphere, and transporting CH4 from soils to the atmosphere. Yet, there remain various mechanistic knowledge gaps regarding the extent to which plant root systems and their traits influence wetland CH4 emissions. Here, we present a novel conceptual framework of the relationships between a range of root traits and CH4 processes in wetlands. Based on a literature review, we propose four main CH4 -relevant categories of root function: gas transport, carbon substrate provision, physicochemical influences and root system architecture. Within these categories, we discuss how individual root traits influence CH4 production, consumption, and transport (PCT). Our findings reveal knowledge gaps concerning trait functions in physicochemical influences, and the role of mycorrhizae and temporal root dynamics in PCT. We also identify priority research needs such as integrating trait measurements from different root function categories, measuring root-CH4 linkages along environmental gradients, and following standardized root ecology protocols and vocabularies. Thus, our conceptual framework identifies relevant belowground plant traits that will help improve wetland CH4 predictions and reduce uncertainties in current and future wetland CH4 budgets.

Quantification of Methane Emissions from Cold Heavy Oil Production with Sand Extraction in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) is an extraction process for heavy oil in Canada, with the potential to lead to higher CH4 venting than conventional oil sites, that have not been adequately characterized. In order to quantify CH4 emissions from CHOPS activities, a focused aerial measurement campaign was conducted in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan in June 2018. Total CH4 emissions from each of 10 clusters of CHOPS wells (containing 22-167 well sites per cluster) were derived using a mass balance computation algorithm that uses in situ wind data measurement on board aircraft. Results show that there is no statistically significant difference in CH4 emissions from CHOPS wells between the two provinces. Cluster-aggregated emission factors (EF) were determined using correspondingly aggregated production volumes. The average CH4 EF was 70.4 ± 36.9 kg/m3 produced oil for the Alberta wells and 55.1 ± 13.7 kg/m3 produced oil for the Saskatchewan wells. Using these EF and heavy oil production volumes reported to provincial regulators, the annual CH4 emissions from CHOPS were estimated to be 121% larger than CHOPS emissions extracted from Canada's National Inventory Report (NIR) for Saskatchewan. The EF were found to be positively correlated with the percentage of nonpiped production volumes in each cluster, indicating higher emissions for nonpiped wells while suggesting an avenue for methane emission reductions. A comparison with recent measurements indicates relatively limited effectiveness of regulations for Saskatchewan compared to those in Alberta. The results of this study indicate the substantial contribution of CHOPS operations to the underreporting observed in the NIR and provide measurement-based EF that can be used to develop improved emissions inventories for this sector and mitigate CH4 emissions from CHOPS operations.

Characteristics of China's coal mine methane emission sources at national and provincial levels.

Methane (CH4) is the second most abundant greenhouse gas. China is the largest CH4 emitter in the world, with coal mine methane (CMM) being one of the main anthropogenic contributions. Thus, there is an urgent need for comprehensive estimates and strategies for reducing CMM emissions in China. However, the development of effective strategies is currently challenged by a lack of information on temporal variations in the contributions of different CMM sources and the absence of provincial spatial analysis. Here, considering five sources and utilization, we build a comprehensive inventory of China's CMM emissions from 1980 to 2022 and quantify the contributions of individual sources to the overall CMM emissions at the national and provincial levels. Our results highlight a significant shift in the source contributions of CMM emissions, with the largest contributor, underground mining, decreasing from 89% in 1980 to 69% in 2022. Underground abandoned coal mines, which were ignored or underestimated in past inventories, have become the second source of CMM emissions since 1999. From 2011 to 2022, we identified Shanxi, Guizhou, and Shaanxi as the three largest CMM-emitting provinces, while the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) v8 overestimated emissions from Inner Mongolia, ranking it third. Notably, we observed a substantial decrease (exceeding 1 Mt) in CMM emissions in Sichuan, Henan, Liaoning, and Hunan between 2011 and 2022, which was not captured by EDGAR v8. To develop targeted CMM emission reduction strategies at the provincial level, we classified 31 provinces into four groups based on their CMM emission structures. In 2022, the number of provinces with CMM emissions mainly from abandoned coal mines has exceeded that of provinces with mainly underground mines, which requires attention. This study reveals the characteristics of the source of CMM emissions in China and provides emission reduction directions for four groups of provinces.

Genetic analysis of rumination time based on an analysis of 77,697 Israeli dairy cows.

Reduction of methane emission may become necessary for sustainable milk production. Several studies indicate a relationship between rumination time and the level of methane emission. The objectives of the current study were to estimate environmental factors affecting daily rumination time in high-yielding dairy cattle, genetic parameters for rumination time across parities, and environmental and genetic correlations between rumination time and economic traits, and to predict the consequence of inclusion of this trait in the Israeli breeding index. The data included more than 30 million daily records from 77,697 Israeli Holstein cows for rumination time and milk production. A lactation measure of daily rumination time per cow was computed as the mean of the residuals from a linear model analysis with rumination time as the dependent variable. The independent variables were parity and the square root, linear, quadradic and inverse of DIM by parity. Because of the shape of the lactation curve for rumination time, separate linear model analyses were performed for records up to 40 DIM and records with >40 DIM. The phenotypic correlation between first- and second-parity lactations for rumination time was almost 0.8, and close to 0.7 for milk. The heritability of lactation rumination time was close to 0.44 for parities 1 to 3. Heritability for milk production decreased from 0.5 in first parity to 0.3 in third parity. For both traits, genetic correlations among parities were all >0.9. Thus, for routine genetic analysis of rumination time, records in the different parities can be considered the same trait. The genetic correlation between rumination time and milk on first parity was 0.25 and increased slightly with increase in parity. Genetic correlations between rumination time, based on the first 40 DIM, were economically unfavorable with retained placenta but economically favorable with metritis, ketosis, and displaced abomasum. Genetic correlations between rumination time and the 9 traits included in the Israeli breeding index (milk, fat, and protein production; SCS; female fertility; herd-life; milk production persistency; calving ease; and calf mortality) were all economically favorable, except for the correlation of 0.17 with SCS. With the current index, daily rumination time with a current mean of 536 min and SD of 90 min is expected to increase by 11 min/d after 10 yr of selection. Inclusion of this trait with a positive index weight equivalent to 10% of the index should increase rumination time by 19 min. All changes in expected gains due to inclusion of rumination time in the index were economically positive, except for fat and SCS. Inclusion of rumination time in the index should result in 1 kg less gain in fat, a miniscule gain of 0.03 for SCS; and gains of 1.5 kg protein, 0.3% female fertility, and 5 d herd-life. Even though the case for a genetic correlation between rumination time and methane emission is still weak, inclusion of this trait in the commercial index may be justified, considering that equipment is now commercially available for routine recording at reasonable cost.

Ruminal methane emission and lactational performance of cows fed rapeseed cake and oats on a grass silage-based diet.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of lipid from rapeseed cake and oats on ruminal CH4 emission and lactational performance of dairy cows. Twelve lactating Nordic Red cows, of which 4 were primiparous, and averaging (±SD) 48 ± 22.9 DIM, 37.8 ± 7.14 kg/d milk yield were enrolled in a switch-back design experiment with 3 periods of 4 wk each. The cows were assigned into 6 pairs based on parity, DIM, milk yield, and BW at the beginning of the experiment. The experimental treatments were (1) rapeseed cake and oats (RSC+O), and (2) rapeseed meal and barley (RSM+B) as the concentrate feeds. Cows in each pair were randomly assigned to 1 of the 2 groups, which received the treatments in 2 different sequences (i.e., group 1 received RSC+O in period 1 and 3, and RSM+B in period 2, whereas group 2 was fed RSM+B in period 1 and 3, and RSC+O in period 2). The diets consisted of a partially mixed ration with grass silage mixed with either oats or barley, according to the treatment sequence, and the rapeseed cake or meal being mixed into a pellet with either oats or barley according to the treatments, and a mineral mix. The pellet was delivered at a fixed amount (i.e., 6 kg/d for multiparous and 5 kg/d for the primiparous cows) from the milking robot. The actual forage to concentrate ratios for RSC+O and RSM+B were 51:49 and 52:48, respectively, with NDF concentrations of 41.5% and 36.0% and CP concentrations of 17.0% and 16.7% of diet DM. Dry matter intake, milk yield, and gas exchange (with a GreenFeed system attached to the milking robot) were recorded daily, and milk composition and spot fecal samples were collected during the last week of each period. Based on feed analysis, and DMI of the cows during the experiment, the total fat content of the experimental diets was 4.1% and 2.7% of DM for RSC+O and RSM+B diets, respectively. Dry matter intake was 1.6 kg/d lower, and milk yield tended to be 1.0 kg/d greater for RSC+O versus RSM+B. There were no differences in ECM yield and milk composition between the treatments, whereas milk ME efficiency was greater for cows fed RSC+O than RSM+B. Methane yield (g/kg DMI) did not differ between treatments, but CH4 production (g/d) was 9.4% and CH4 intensity as g/kg ECM was 11.7% lower for RSC+O versus RSM+B. The lower CH4 production was likely caused by the lower DMI and fiber digestibility, observed with the RSC+O diet. In addition, the greater lipid intake also contributed to lower rate of fermentation and subsequent decrease in CH4 production. Overall, feeding rapeseed cake with oats in a grass silage-based diet increased feed efficiency while decreasing CH4 emission intensity in lactating cows. This provides a practical way of mitigating ruminal CH4 emission from dairy operations while maintaining milk production with commonly used feedstuffs in Nordic conditions.

Crop byproducts supplemented in livestock feeds reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Crop byproducts can be supplemented in livestock feeds to improve the utilization of resources and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We explored the mitigation potential of GHG emissions by supplementing crop byproducts in feeds based on a typical intensive dairy farm in China. Results showed that GHG emissions associated with production of forage were significantly decreased by 25.60 % when no GHG emissions were allocated to crop byproducts, and enteric methane emission was significantly decreased by 13.46 % on the basis of CO2 eq, g/kg fat and protein corrected milk. The supplementation did not affect lactation performance, rumen microbiota and microbial enzymes at the gene level. Metabolomics analysis revealed changes in amino acid catabolism of rumen fluid, which were probably responsible for more propionate production. In conclusion, supplementing crop byproducts in feeds can be a potential strategy to reduce GHG emissions of livestock.

In-vitro method and model to estimate methane emissions from liquid manure management on pig and dairy farms in four countries.

Methane (CH4) emissions from manure management on livestock farms are a key source of greenhouse gas emissions in some regions and for some production systems, and the opportunities for mitigation may be significant if emissions can be adequately documented. We investigated a method for estimating CH4 emissions from liquid manure (slurry) that is based on anaerobic incubation of slurry collected from commercial farms. Methane production rates were used to derive a parameter of the Arrhenius temperature response function, lnA', representing the CH4 production potential of the slurry at the time of sampling. Results were used for parameterization of an empirical model to estimate annual emissions with daily time steps, where CH4 emissions from individual sources (barns, outside storage tanks) can be calculated separately. A monitoring program was conducted in four countries, i.e., Denmark, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands, during a 12-month period where slurry was sampled to represent barn and outside storage on finishing pig and dairy farms. Across the four countries, lnA' was higher in pig slurry compared to cattle slurry (p < 0.01), and higher in slurry from barns compared to outside storage (p < 0.01). In a separate evaluation of the incubation method, in-vitro CH4 production rates were comparable with in-situ emissions. The results indicate that lnA' in barns increases with slurry age, probably due to growth or adaptation of the methanogenic microbial community. Using lnA' values determined experimentally, empirical models with daily time steps were constructed for finishing pig and dairy farms and used for scenario analyses. Annual emissions from pig slurry were predicted to be 2.5 times higher than those from cattle slurry. Changing the frequency of slurry export from the barn on the model pig farm from 40 to 7 d intervals reduced total annual CH4 emissions by 46 %; this effect would be much less on cattle farms with natural ventilation. In a scenario with cattle slurry, the empirical model was compared with the current IPCC methodology. The seasonal dynamics were less pronounced, and annual CH4 emissions were lower than with the current methodology, which calls for further investigations. Country-specific models for individual animal categories and point sources could be a tool for assessing CH4 emissions and mitigation potentials at farm level.

Dose-dependent effects of sodium dodecyl sulfate and hydrogen peroxide treatments on methane emission from pig manure during storage.

Mitigation of methane (CH4) emissions from slurry pits within pig barns can be achieved through treatment of residual slurry left after frequent flushing of the slurry pits. In this study, dosages of additives such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were optimized to achieve reduction in CH4 emissions from residual pig slurry during storage. In addition, the effects on emissions when both the treatments were combined and the effects of SDS treatment on slurry acidified with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) were studied in order to reduce CH4 and ammonia (NH3) emissions from residual pig slurry storage. A maximum of 98% and 70% reduction in CH4 emissions were achieved with SDS and H2O2 treatments, respectively. The combination of SDS and H2O2 did not increase efficiency in reducing CH4 emissions compared to SDS treatment alone. Whereas the application of SDS to slurry acidified with H2SO4 (pH 6.2) increased the CH4 mitigation efficiency by 15-30% compared to treating slurry with only SDS. The combined treatment (SDS + H2SO4) reduced NH3 emissions by 20% compared to treating slurry with H2SO4 (pH 6.2) alone. Hereby, combined treatment (SDS + H2SO4) can reduce both CH4 and NH3 emissions, with a reduced amount of chemicals required for the treatment. Hence, application of SDS at concentrations <2 g kg-1 to acidified slurry is recommended to treat residual pig manure in pig barns.

Pharmacokinetics of bromoform in dairy heifers.

AIMS: To determine the pharmacokinetics in dairy heifers after oral and IV administration of bromoform, a potential antimethanogenic agent found in red seaweed, Asparagopsis spp. METHODS: Twenty-four dairy heifers with a mean weight of 319 (SD 36.9) kg were used. The study was conducted in two phases, and each cohort of 12 heifers received an escalating dose of bromoform. In the first phase, 12 heifers successively received doses of 200, 400, 800, and 1600 mg of bromoform orally, separated by a 72-hour washout period. In the second phase, a different cohort of 12 dairy heifers was used. Each heifer received a total of four doses of bromoform separated by a wash-out period of 72 hours. Sequentially the treatments were (for each of the 12 heifers) an oral dose of 50 mg, followed by an IV dose of 50 mg, followed by an oral dose of 100 mg and finally an IV dose of 100 mg.Blood samples were assayed by gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry for bromoform and dibromomethane to estimate the pharmacokinetic parameters using a non-compartmental analysis. RESULTS: Bromoform was rapidly absorbed as indicated by a short time to the maximum observed concentration of 15 minutes. For the routes of administration and dose ranges investigated, the mean terminal half-life ranged from 0.32 (SE 0.03) hours to 5.73 (SE 1.64) hours when administered orally or IV. With values for the mean area under the curve (AUC) to dose ratio ranging from 0.25 (SE 0.04) to 0.82 (SE 0.19) for oral and 1.39 (SE 0.39) to 4.02 (SE 0.37) for IV administration, bromoform appeared to exhibit non-proportional pharmacokinetic behaviour. The mean absolute bioavailability was 39.13 (SE 10.4)% and 3.36 (SE 0.83)% for 50-mg and 100-mg doses, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Bromoform is rapidly absorbed and exhibits dose dependent elimination kinetics.

Advances in methane emissions from agricultural sources: Part I. Accounting and mitigation.

Methane is one of the major greenhouse gases (GHGs) and agriculture is recognized as its primary emitter. Methane accounting is a prerequisite for developing effective agriculture mitigation strategies. In this review, methane accounting methods and research status for various agricultural emission source including rice fields, animal enteric fermentation and livestock and poultry manure management were overview, and the influencing factors of each emission source were analyzed and discussed. At the same time, it analyzes the different research efforts involving agricultural methane accounting and makes recommendations based on the actual situation. Finally, mitigation strategies based on accounting results and actual situation are proposed. This review aims to provide basic data and reference for agriculture-oriented countries and regions to actively participate in climate action and carry out effective methane emission mitigation.

High carbon emissions from thermokarst lakes and their determinants in the Tibet Plateau.

Thermokarst lakes are potentially important sources of methane (CH4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ). However, considerable uncertainty exists regarding carbon emissions from thermokarst lakes owing to a limited understanding of their patterns and motivators. In this study, we measured CH4 and CO2 diffusive fluxes in 163 thermokarst lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) over 3 years from May to October. The median carbon emissions from the QTP thermokarst lakes were 1440 mg CO2 m-2 day-1 and 60 mg CH4 m-2 day-1 , respectively. The diffusive rates of CO2 and CH4 are related to the catchment land cover type. Sediment microbial abundance and hydrochemistry explain 51.9% and 38.3% of the total variance in CH4 diffusive emissions, respectively, while CO2 emissions show no significant relationship with environmental factors. When upscaling carbon emissions from the QTP thermokarst lakes, the annual average CH4 release per lake area is equal to that of the pan-Arctic region. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating in situ observation data with different emission pathways for different land cover types in predicting carbon emissions from thermokarst lakes in the future.

Fossil-Fuel and Food Systems Equally Dominate Anthropogenic Methane Emissions in China.

Understanding fossil-fuel/food production and consumption patterns is the first step toward reducing the climate impacts of associated methane (CH4) emissions but remains unclear in China. Here, based on the bottom-up method, whole-industrial-chain CH4 emission in China (CH4-CHINA) is developed to track CH4 emissions from production to use and finally to disposal. The estimated Chinese national CH4 emissions in 2020 are 39288.3 Gg (25,230.8-53,345.7 Gg), with 50.4 and 49.6% emissions generated from fossil-fuel and food systems, respectively. ∼130,000 point sources are included to achieve a highly resolved inventory of CH4 emissions, which account for ∼53.5% of the total anthropogenic CH4 emissions in 2020. Our estimate is 36% lower than the Chinese inventory reported to the UNFCCC and 40% lower than EDGAR v6.0, mainly driven by lower emissions from rice cultivation, waste management, and coal supply chain in this study. Based on the emission flow, we observe that previous studies ignored the emissions from natural gas vehicles and residential appliances, coke production, municipal solid waste predisposal, septic tanks, biogas digesters, and food sewage treatment, which totally contribute ∼12.4% of the national anthropogenic CH4 emissions. The results discussed in this study provide critical insights to design and formulate effective CH4 emission mitigation strategies.

Agricultural Methane Emissions in China: Inventories, Driving Forces and Mitigation Strategies.

Identification of the spatial distribution, driving forces, and future trends of agricultural methane (AGM) emissions is necessary to develop differentiated emission control pathways and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 in China, which is the largest emitter of AGM. However, such research is currently lacking. Here, we estimated China's AGM emissions from 2010 to 2020 and then decomposed six factors that affect AGM emissions via the LMDI model. The results indicated that the AGM emissions in China in 2020 were 23.39 Tg, with enteric fermentation being the largest source, accounting for 43.9% of the total emissions. A total of 39.3% of the AGM emissions were from western China. The main driver of AGM emission reduction was emission intensity, accounting for 59% and 33.7% of methane emission reduction in the livestock sector and rice cultivation, respectively. Additionally, higher levels of urbanization contributed to AGM emission reductions, accounting for 31.3% and 43.0% of the livestock sector and rice cultivation emission reductions, respectively. Based on the SSP-RCP scenarios, we found that China's AGM emissions in 2060 were reduced by approximately 90% through a combination of technology measures, behavioral changes, and innovation policies. Our study provides a scientific basis for optimizing existing AGM emission reduction policies not only in China but also potentially in other high AGM-emitting countries, such as India and Brazil.

Challenges to Accurate Estimation of Methane Emission from Septic Tanks with Long Emptying Intervals.

Septic tanks in low- and middle-income countries are often not emptied for a long time, potentially resulting in poor pollutant removal efficiency and increased greenhouse gas emissions, including methane (CH4). We examined the impact of long emptying intervals (4.0-23 years) on the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal efficiency of 15 blackwater septic tanks and the CH4 emission rates of 23 blackwater septic tanks in Hanoi. The average BOD removal efficiency was 37% (-2-65%), and the average CH4 emission rate was 10.9 (2.2-26.8) g/(cap·d). The emptying intervals were strongly negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = -0.676, p = 0.006) and positively correlated with CH4 emission rates (R = 0.614, p = 0.001). CH4 emission rates were positively correlated with sludge depth (R = 0.596, p = 0.002), but against expectation, negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = -0.219, p = 0.451). These results suggest that shortening the emptying interval improves the BOD removal efficiency and reduces the CH4 emission rate. Moreover, the CH4 emission estimation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is a positive conversion of BOD removal, might be inaccurate for septic tanks with long emptying intervals. Our findings suggest that emptying intervals, sludge depth, and per-capita emission factors reflecting long emptying intervals are potential parameters for accurately estimating CH4 emissions from septic tanks.

Cadmium reduced methane emissions by stimulating methane oxidation in paddy soils.

Flooded rice paddy fields are a significant source of anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions. Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most common and toxic contaminants in paddy soils. However, little is known about how the soil microbial communities associated with CH4 emissions respond to the increasing Cd-stress in paddies. In this study, we employed isotopically 13C-labelled CH4, high-throughput sequencing analysis, and gene quantification analysis to reveal the effect and mechanism of Cd on CH4 emissions in paddy soils. Results showed that 4.0 mg kg-1 Cd addition reduced CH4 emissions by 16-99% in the four tested paddy soils, and significantly promoted the transformation of 13CH4 to 13CO2. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) demonstrated that Cd addition increased the abundances of pmoA gene, the ratios of methanogens to methanotrophs (mcrA/pmoA) showed a positive correlation with CH4 emissions (R2 = 0.798, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the composition of the microbial community containing the pmoA gene was barely affected by Cd addition (p > 0.05). This observation was consistent with the findings of a pure incubation experiment where methanotrophs exhibited high tolerance to Cd. We argue that microbial feedback to Cd stress amplifies the contribution of methanotrophs to CH4 oxidation in rice fields through the complex interactions occurring among soil microbes. Our study highlights the overlooked association between Cd and CH4 dynamics, offering a better understanding of the role of rice paddies in global CH4 cycling.

Evidence for massive emission of methane from a deep-water gas field during the Pliocene.

Geologic hydrocarbon seepage is considered to be the dominant natural source of atmospheric methane in terrestrial and shallow-water areas; in deep-water areas, in contrast, hydrocarbon seepage is expected to have no atmospheric impact because the gas is typically consumed throughout the water column. Here, we present evidence for a sudden expulsion of a reservoir-size quantity of methane from a deep-water seep during the Pliocene, resulting from natural reservoir overpressure. Combining three-dimensional seismic data, borehole data and fluid-flow modeling, we estimate that 18-27 of the 23-31 Tg of methane released at the seafloor could have reached the atmosphere over 39-241 days. This emission is ∼10% and ∼28% of present-day, annual natural and petroleum-industry methane emissions, respectively. While no such ultraseepage events have been documented in modern times and their frequency is unknown, seismic data suggest they were not rare in the past and may potentially occur at present in critically pressurized reservoirs. This neglected phenomenon can influence decadal changes in atmospheric methane.

Quantifying methane emissions under field conditions under 2 different dairy production scenarios: Low-input versus high-input milk production.

Livestock production systems with ruminants play a relevant role in the emission of the greenhouse gas CH4, which is known to significantly contribute to global warming. Consequently, it is a major societal concern to develop strategies in mitigating such emissions. In addition to breeding toward low-emitting cows, management strategies could also help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from dairy farms. However, information is required for appropriate decision making. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that considers different, already available equations to estimate CH4 emissions of small-scale dairy farms in the mountain region, which largely differ from large dairy farms in the lowlands concerning management and production. For this study, 2 different production systems, both typical for small-scale dairy farming in mountain regions, were simultaneously run over 3 yr at an experimental farm as follows: (1) a high-input production system, characterized by intensive feeding with high amounts of external concentrates and maize silage, year-round housing, and high yielding Simmental cattle breed, and (2) a low-input production system, characterized by prevailing hay and pasture feeding and silage ban, thus covering most of the energy requirements by forage harvested on-farm and the use of the local Tyrolean Grey cattle breed. Results reveal that feeding management has a significant effect on the amount of CH4 emissions. The low-input production system produced less CH4 per cow and per day compared with the high-input production system. However, if calculated per kilogram of milk, the high-input scenario produced proportionally less CH4 than the low-input one. Findings of this study highlight the potential to assess in a fast and cost-effective way the CH4 emission in different dairy production systems. This information contributes to the debate about the future of sustainable milk production in mountain regions, where the production of feed resources is climatically constrained, and could be useful for breeding purposes toward lower CH4-emissions.

Effects of replacement of barley with oats on milk fatty acid composition in dairy cows fed grass silage-based diets.

This study consists of milk fatty acid (FA) data collected during 2 in vivo experiments. For this study, 8 cows from each experiment were included in a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square design. At the start of experiment 1 (Exp1) cows were at (mean ± standard deviation) 87 ± 34.6 d in milk, 625 ± 85.0 kg of body weight, and 32.1 ± 4.17 kg/d milk yield and at the start of experiment 2 (Exp2) cows were at 74 ± 18.2 d in milk, 629 ± 87.0 kg of body weight, and 37.0 ± 3.2 kg/d milk yield. In Exp1, we examined the effects of gradual replacement of barley with hulled oats (oats with hulls) on milk FA composition. The basal diet was grass silage and rapeseed meal (58 and 10% of diet DM, respectively), and the 4 grain supplements were formulated so that barley was gradually replaced by hulled oats at levels of 0, 33, 67, and 100% on dry matter basis. In Exp2, we examined (1) the effects of replacing barley with both hulled and dehulled oats (oats without hulls) and (2) the effects of gradual replacement of hulled oats with dehulled oats on milk FA composition. The basal diet was grass silage and rapeseed meal (60 and 10% of diet DM, respectively), and the 4 pelleted experimental concentrates were barley, hulled oats, a 50:50 mixture of hulled and dehulled oats, and dehulled oats on dry matter basis. In Exp1, gradual replacement of barley with hulled oats decreased relative proportions of 14:0, 16:0, and total saturated FA (SFA) in milk fat linearly, whereas proportions of 18:0, 18:1, total monounsaturated FA, and total cis unsaturated FA increased linearly. Transfer efficiency of total C18 decreased linearly when barley was replaced by hulled oats in Exp1. In Exp2, relative proportions of 14:0, 16:0, and total SFA were lower, whereas proportions of 18:0, 18:1, monounsaturated FA, and cis unsaturated FA were higher in milk from cows fed the oat diets than in milk from cows fed the barley diet. Moreover, in Exp2, gradual replacement of hulled oats with dehulled oats slightly decreased the relative proportion of 14:0 in milk fat but did not affect the proportions of 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, total SFA, monounsaturated FA, trans FA, or polyunsaturated FA. In Exp2, transfer efficiency of total C18 was lower when cows were fed the oat diets than when fed the barley diet and decreased linearly when hulled oats were replaced with dehulled oats. Predictions of daily CH4 emissions (g/d) using the on-farm available variables energy-corrected milk yield and body weight were not markedly improved by including milk concentrations of individual milk FA in prediction equations. In conclusion, replacement of barley with oats as a concentrate supplement for dairy cows fed a grass silage-based diet could offer a practical strategy to change the FA composition of milk to be more in accordance with international dietary guidelines regarding consumption of SFA.

Enteric and manure emissions from Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle fed grass silage-based or corn silage-based diets.

This study aimed to evaluate trade-offs between enteric and manure CH4 emissions, and the size of synergistic effects for CH4 and nitrogenous emissions (NH3 and N2O). Sixty-four Holstein-Friesian cows were blocked in groups of 4 based on parity, lactation stage, and milk yield. Cows within a block were randomly allocated to a dietary sequence in a crossover design with a grass silage-based diet (GS) and a corn silage-based diet (CS). The GS diet consisted of 50% grass silage and 50% concentrate, and CS consisted of 10% grass silage, 40% corn silage, and 50% concentrate (dry matter basis). The composition of the concentrate was identical for both diets. Cows were housed in groups of 16 animals, in 4 mechanically ventilated barn units for independent emission measurement. Treatment periods were composed of a 2-wk adaptation period followed by a 5-wk measurement period, 1 wk of which was without cows to allow separation of enteric and manure emissions. In each barn unit, ventilation rates and concentrations of CH4, CO2, NH3, and N2O in incoming and outgoing air were measured. Cow excretion of organic matter was higher for CS compared with GS. Enteric CH4 and cow-associated NH3 and N2O emissions (i.e., manure emissions excluded) were lower for CS compared with GS (-11, -40, and -45%, respectively). The CH4 and N2O emissions from stored manure (i.e., in absence of cows) were not affected by diet, whereas that of NH3 emission tended to be lower for CS compared with GS. In conclusion, there was no trade-off between enteric and manure CH4 emissions, and there were synergistic effects for CH4 and nitrogenous emissions when grass silage was exchanged for corn silage, without balancing the diets for crude protein content, in this short-term study.

A meta-analysis of the genetic contribution to greenhouse gas emission in sheep.

The objective of this study was to use a random-effects model of meta-analysis to merge various heritability estimates of different gas emission traits (methane yield [METY], methane production [METP], carbon dioxide production [CO2 ], the sum of carbon dioxide and methane production [METP + CO2 ], METP METP + CO 2 ratio, and oxygen consumption [O2 ]) and their genetic association with growth and partial efficiency traits in sheep. A total of 53 genetic correlations and 47 heritability estimates from 13 scientific articles were used in the meta-analysis. The included papers were published between 2010 and 2022. To measure heterogeneity, Chi-square (Q) test was performed, and the I2 statistic was determined. The average heritability estimates for the studied traits were low to moderate and ranged from 0.137 (for METY) to 0.250 (for METP + CO2 ). The heterogeneity test of heritability estimates indicated that heritability estimates for METY, O2 consumption, and METP METP + CO 2 had low Q values and non-significant heterogeneity (p > 0.10). However, the average heritability estimates for other traits experienced significant heterogeneities (p < 0.10). The genetic correlation estimate between METP with O2 was -0.597 (p < 0.05), but its genetic correlations with other gas traits ranged from 0.593 (with METP + CO2 ) to 0.653 (CO2 ; p < 0.05). Also, mean estimates of genetic correlation between METP with live weight (LW), feed intake (FI), and residual feed intake (RFI) were 0.719, 0.598, and 0.408, respectively. The genetic correlations of CO2 with performance traits varied from 0.641 (with RFI) to 0.833 (with FI; p < 0.05). This meta-analysis showed gas emission traits in sheep are under low-to-moderate genetic control. The average genetic parameter estimates obtained in this study could be considered in the genetic selection programmes for sheep, especially when there is no access to accurate phenotypic records or genetic parameter estimates for gas emission traits.