Can rapeseed lower methane emission from heifers?

Abstract

Twelve heifers were assigned to either a control diet (CON) with 26 g fat per kg dry matter (DM) or a supplemented diet (FAT) with crushed rapeseed with 53 g fat per kg DM. Methane (CH₄) emission was measured by open-circuit indirect calorimetry for four days when the heifers weighed approximately 300 kg. Dry matter intake (DMI; P=0.01) and daily CH₄ emission (P=0.002) were lowest on the FAT. However, CH₄ emission per kg DMI (P=0.21) or per kg weight gain (P=0.44) was not different. The loss of CH₄ as a percentage of gross energy intake tended to be lower on FAT (6.4%) than on CON (6.8%; P=0.08). It is concluded that the FAT may have potential to reduce CH₄ emission from heifers, but further studies are warranted to document this effect.

Keywords:

• Cattle
• fat supplementation
• indirect calorimetry

Acknowledgments

The study was supported by grants from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries (GUDP J.nr.: 3405-11-0295) and from the Danish Cattle Federation.