Ruminant Production from Napier Grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum): A Review.

Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) supports a significant proportion of animal production in subtropical and tropical regions, but its quality is low and when offered alone, results in low ruminant production. Shifting the management of Napier grass towards a higher-quality feed increased milk yield and liveweight gain for small, mature cattle without supplementation. This review highlights the opportunity for further increases in milk and meat production for differing classes of livestock in the tropics and subtropics by improving the nutritive value of Napier grass using new best management practice flowing on to improve food security for the millions of people in these regions.

Spatially explicit database on crop-livestock management, soil, climate, greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation potential for all of Bangladesh.

This data article provides spatially explicit data on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigation potential at various administrative levels for the whole of Bangladesh. The results arising from analysis of this database are presented in research article "Quantifying opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation using big data from smallholder crop and livestock farmers across Bangladesh" [1]. We collected crop and livestock management data and associated soil and climatic data from variety of primary and secondary sources outlined below in our methodology. The datafiles on crops and livestock contain model outputs for three greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and their global warming potential, which are linked, to the information on crop/livestock management, soil and climatic conditions presented in the supplementary data of the associated manuscript. The datafiles on mitigation potential contain district-level annual GHG mitigation potential by 2030 and 2050 segregated by different crops/livestock types and mitigation options. This dataset is useful for Bangladesh's GHG accounting from the agricultural sector, and can be used to update its nationally determined contributions. Administrative level emissions and mitigation potential estimates segregated by crop-livestock types and mitigation options are useful to prioritize agricultural research and development interventions consistent with food security and environmental goals and to organize agricultural extension and support services to better inform farmers on food production and move towards GHG mitigation goals.

Quantifying opportunities for greenhouse gas emissions mitigation using big data from smallholder crop and livestock farmers across Bangladesh.

Climate change is and will continue to have significant implications for agricultural systems. While adaptation to climate change should be the priority for smallholder production systems, adoption of cost-effective mitigation options in agriculture not only contributes to food security but also reduces the extent of climate change and future adaptation needs. Utilizing management data from 16,413 and 12,548 crop and livestock farmers and associated soil and climatic data, we estimated GHG emissions generated from crop and livestock production using crop and livestock models, respectively. Mitigation measures in crop and livestock production, their mitigation potential and cost/benefit of adoption were then obtained from literature review, stakeholder consultations and expert opinion. We applied the identified mitigation measures to a realistic scale of adoption scenario in the short- (2030) and long-term (2050). Our results were then validated through stakeholders consultations. Here, we present identified mitigation options, their mitigation potentials and cost or benefit of adoption in the form of Marginal Abatement Cost Curves (MACC). Based on our analysis, total GHG emissions from agricultural sector in Bangladesh for the year 2014-15 is 76.79 million tonne (Mt) carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2e). Business-as-usual GHG emissions from the agricultural sector in Bangladesh are approximately 86.87 and 100.44 Mt CO2e year-1 by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Adoption of climate-smart crop and livestock management options to reduce emissions considering a realistic adoption scenario would offer GHG mitigation opportunities of 9.51 and 14.21 Mt CO2e year-1 by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Of this mitigation potential, 70-75% can be achieved through cost-saving options that could benefit smallholder farmers. Realization of this potential mitigation benefit, however, largely depends on the degree to which supportive policies and measures can encourage farmers' adoption of the identified climate smart agricultural techniques. Therefore, government should focus on facilitating uptake of these options through appropriate policy interventions, incentive mechanisms and strengthening agricultural extension programs.

Quality assessment and feeding impact of Moringa feed on intake, digestibility, enteric CH4 emission, rumen fermentation, and milk yield.

OBJECTIVE: This experiment was designed to assess the quality and to evaluate the feeding impact of moringa feed on intake, digestibility, rumen fermentation, methane (CH4) production, and milk yield. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to body weight and exit-entry average daily milk production, fifteen BLRI cattle breed-1 lactating cows of 3rd or 4th stage of parturition with wk 3 and 4 of calving were selected and were equally and randomly distributed into three dietary groups. One group of cows was fed a control diet (T0) consisting of 1:1 dry matter (DM) of Napier silage and conventionally mixed concentrate. The other two groups were fed a control diet by randomly replacing i) 50% (T1) or ii) 100% (T2) of its concentrate with moringa feed. The three dietary groups were balanced nutritionally based on energy and protein following the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI) standard. RESULTS: The concentrate mixture was replaced with moringa feed to increase the feed efficiency and to reduce the DM or crude protein intake (p < 0.05) per 100 kg of metabolic body weight. The T2 group flourished with the highest (p < 0.05) amount of raw milk and also 4% fat-corrected milk (4.39 and 4.59 kg/day, respectively) compared to the T0 group (3.30 and 3.49 kg/day, respectively). However, it increased (p < 0.05) the concentration of total volatile fatty acid and decreased (p < 0.05) the blood and milk cholesterol, and ammonia-nitrogen (NH3-N) was reputed by adding moringa feed into the T0 group, without showing any significant (p > 0.05) change in CH4 production, fat, solid not fat, lactose or protein content of milk. CONCLUSION: Therefore, moringa feed increased the productivity in dairy cows, replacing the whole concentrate diet.

An estimation of greenhouse gas emission from livestock in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: The study was undertaken to investigate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from livestock in Bangladesh. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The GHG emission inventory of livestock in Bangladesh was estimated according to the tier 1 approach of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) using livestock population data from 2005 to 2018. It was also extrapolated for the next three decades, according to the growth of the livestock population. RESULTS: According to the calculation, the GHG emission from livestock was 66,586 Gg/year CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2018. This emission may rise to 69,869, 80,618, 94,638, and 113,098 Gg/year CO2e in 2020, 2030, 2040, and 2050, respectively. The share of enteric methane, manure methane, direct nitrous oxide emission, and indirect nitrous oxide emission in the total GHG emissions represented 44.0%, 3.6%, 51.5%, and 0.9%, respectively, in 2018. It may arise at a rate of 1.54%-1.74% annually until 2050. CONCLUSION: The GHG inventory may guide professionals to formulate and undertake the effective mitigation measures of GHG emissions from livestock in Bangladesh. However, this inventory can be amended following the tier 2 approach recommended by the IPCC if necessary data are available at the national level.