Does grazing management provide opportunities to mitigate methane emissions by ruminants in pastoral ecosystems?

Zubieta, Ángel Sánchez; Savian, Jean Víctor; Filho, William de Souza; Wallau, Marcelo; Gómez, Augusto Pérez; Bindelle, Jérôme; Bonnet, Olivier; Carvalho, Paulo César de Faccio

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142029

Cited by 46 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 138 publications

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“…Finally, no difference in total enteric CH 4 emissions (363 g/d on average) or CH 4 emission intensity (18.4 g/kg FPCM on average) were observed, and the values are in agreement with those reported by previous international [8] [41] [42] and national literature [5], for dairy cows with similar levels of intake and production. This study constitutes the second study of measured enteric CH 4 emissions from grazing dairy cattle in Uruguay.…”

Section: Methane Emissionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Intake, Energy Expenditure and Methane Emissions of Grazing Dairy Cows at Two Pre-Grazing Herbage Masses

Loza¹,

Gere²,

Orcasberro³

et al. 2021

OJAS

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A grazing experiment was undertaken to assess the effects of two levels of herbage mass (HM) on herbage DM intake (DMI), fat and protein corrected milk yield (FPCM), grazing behaviour, energy expenditure (HP), and methane emissions (CH 4 ) of grazing dairy cows in spring. Treatments were a low HM (1447 kg DM/ha; LHM) or a high HM (1859 kg DM/ha; HHM). Pasture was composed mainly of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) and lucerne (Medicago sativa), offered at a daily herbage allowance of 30 kg DM/cow, above 5 cm. Eight multiparous Holstein cows were used in a 2 × 2 Latin Square design in two 10-day periods. Despite the differences in pre-grazing HM between treatments, OM digestibility was not different (P = 0.28). Herbage mass did not affect DMI or FPCM. Grazing time was not different between treatments, but cows had a greater bite rate when grazing on LHM swards. However, HP did not differ between treatments. Daily methane emission (per cow), methane emission intensity (per kg FPCM) and methane yield (as percentage of gross energy intake) were not different. The lack of effect of the amount of pre-grazing HM on energy intake, confirms that the difference between HM treatments was beyond the limits that impose extra energy expenditure during grazing.

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Section: Methane Emissionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Intake, Energy Expenditure and Methane Emissions of Grazing Dairy Cows at Two Pre-Grazing Herbage Masses

Loza¹,

Gere²,

Orcasberro³

et al. 2021

OJAS

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“…Cattle production is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions, resulting from the ruminant digestion process that generates methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide emissions (CIAT and CORMACARENA, 2018). Higher quality forages allow increasing animal productivity and feeding efficiency (conversion of forage to animal protein), reducing CH 4 emissions per unit of product (Knapp et al, 2014;Zubieta et al, 2021). Cardoso et al (2016) estimate that increased quality and quantity of forage can potentially decrease greenhouse gas emissions per kg carcass weight by 50%, principally resulting from a reduction of CH 4 emissions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ex-Ante Evaluation of Economic Impacts of Adopting Improved Forages in the Colombian Orinoquía

Enciso

Charry

Castillo

et al. 2021

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Forage-based cattle systems play a key role in rural economies of developing countries in terms of food security and poverty alleviation. However, they can generate negative environmental impacts by contributing to increased greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, and reduction of biodiversity. As a result of that, large amounts of resources have been allocated to research and development (R&D) in forage material improvement and a broad range of improved materials were released showing superior characteristics in terms of productivity and environmental impacts compared to native or naturalized materials. However, data are still scarce on both the economic and environmental “yields” of investments in R&D activities around improved forage materials. Through an ex-ante evaluation, this study aims at estimating the potential “yields” of the investment in R&D and diffusion activities of the improved forage variety Brachiaria brizantha 26,124 cv. Agrosavia Caporal in the Colombian Orinoquía region. The analysis used two evaluation methodologies: 1) a combined discounted free cash flow model and Monte Carlo simulation using the simulation software @Risk to determine the impact on individual welfare, and 2) an economic surplus model an risk analysis to determine the potential social benefits of the technologies and their distribution among producers and consumers, considering changes in adoption rates, productivity levels and probability of success. The results suggest that the evaluated material presents important economic benefits for the study region and results in a positive return on the investments made in R&D activities. The results are a key input for decision making processes among public and private institutions involved in funding and executing the development of improved forage materials and will help to set research priorities and resource allocation.

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“…For animals in this optimal pre-grazing SSH condition, high intake of highly digestible forage occurs, providing increases in feed conversion e ciency, carcass production and carcass quality and reductions in diet cost and enteric methane emissions (Savian et al 2018(Savian et al , 2021Zubieta et al 2021), all of which are criteria that should be prioritized in grazing management strategies. Parson et al (1988) discuss the defoliation process, based on the growth curve of plants under different intensities of sward depletion.…”

Section: Implications For Pasture Managementmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconciling the Plant-Animal Interface: Convergence of Optimal Herbage Accumulation and Intake Rate by Sheep Grazing Tall Fescue

Szymczak

Moraes

Sulc

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Aims This study evaluated the optimal herbage level from both plant and animal perspectives, through the adjustment of instantaneous herbage accumulation rate as estimed by the Gompertz curve model and short-term intake rate of sheep. Schedonorus arundinaceus (tall fescue) was used as an experimental model. Methods Weekly tall fescue herbage accumulation was measured during seven growth periods initiated on monthly intervals (October, November, and December 2015, and March, April, August and September 2016) with the initiation dates arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. Total herbage mass, leaf lamina mass, pseudo-stem + sheath mass, senescent mass, and sward surface height were measured each week. Results We demonstrated that a pre-grazing sward surface height of 22.3 cm of tall fescue promoted concomitantly the maximum short-term intake rate of sheep and the instantaneous herbage accumulation rate in the spring and autumn periods. In general, the convergent point occurred after the maximum instantaneous leaf lamina accumulation rate and before the maximum instantaneous accumulation rate of pseudo-stem + sheath and senescent material. Conclusions We suggest the existence of a convergent point in which both primary and secondary production of pastoral ecosystems could be fostered, potentially reconciling the fundamental ecological dilemma of grazing systems.

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Does grazing management provide opportunities to mitigate methane emissions by ruminants in pastoral ecosystems?

Cited by 46 publications

References 138 publications

Intake, Energy Expenditure and Methane Emissions of Grazing Dairy Cows at Two Pre-Grazing Herbage Masses

Intake, Energy Expenditure and Methane Emissions of Grazing Dairy Cows at Two Pre-Grazing Herbage Masses

Ex-Ante Evaluation of Economic Impacts of Adopting Improved Forages in the Colombian Orinoquía

Reconciling the Plant-Animal Interface: Convergence of Optimal Herbage Accumulation and Intake Rate by Sheep Grazing Tall Fescue

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