Intramuscular Fatty Acids in Meat Could Predict Enteric Methane Production by Fattening Lambs

Abstract

Methane (CH4) emissions pose a serious problem for the environmental sustainability of ruminant production. The aim of the present study was to explore the usefulness of the intramuscular fatty acid (FA) profile to estimate CH4 production of lambs fattened under intensive feeding systems. A statistical regression analysis of intramuscular FA derived from ruminal metabolism was carried out to assess the best predictive model of CH4 production (g/d) in lambs fed with different diets. CH4 was calculated with three distinct equations based on organic matter digestibility (OMD) at maintenance feeding levels. The OMD of the experimental diets was determined in an in vivo digestibility trial by means of the indicator method. Regression models were obtained by stepwise regression analysis. The three optimized models showed high adjusted coefficients of determination (R2adj = 0.74–0.93) and concordance correlation coefficients (CCC = 0.89–0.98), as well as small root mean square prediction errors (RMSPE = 0.29–0.40 g/d). The best single predictor was vaccenic acid (trans-11 C18:1), a bioactive FA that is formed in the rumen to a different extent depending on dietary composition. Based on our data and further published lamb research, we propose a novel regression model for CH4 production with excellent outcomes: CH4 (g/d) = −1.98 (±1.284)–0.87 (±0.231) × trans-11 C18:1 + 0.79 (±0.045) × BW (R2adj = 0.97; RMSPE = 0.76 g/d; CCC = 0.98). In conclusion, these results indicate that specific intramuscular FA and average BW during fattening could be useful to predict CH4 production of lambs fed high concentrate diets.

Effect of Suckling Management and Ewe Concentrate Level on Methane-Related Carbon Footprint of Lamb Meat in Sardinian Dairy Sheep Farming

“…Most of them quantified greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions by comparing different farming systems, from pasture to zero-grazing [ 13 ], from lowland to hill farms [ 14 ], from conventional to organic [ 10 ], or considering different forage species in pasture-based flock management [ 20 ]. Recently, methane production of fattening lambs was predicted by intramuscular fatty acid profile [ 21 ].…”

Competitiveness of Spanish Local Breeds

“…The results show the contribution to climate change of different livestock practices, providing valuable information to plan and develop different strategies. “ Intramuscular Fatty Acids in Meat Could Predict Enteric Methane Production by Fattening Lambs ” [ 6 ] presents a precise and reproducible regression model that allows the estimation of methane production in Manchega lambs from the average body weight and the fatty acid profile of meat.…”