Enteric methane mitigation strategies for ruminant livestock systems in the Latin America and Caribbean region: a meta-analysis.

Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) is a developing region characterized for its importance for global food security, producing 23 and 11% of the global beef and milk production, respectively. The region?s ruminant livestock sector however, is under scrutiny on environmental grounds due to its large contribution to enteric methane (CH4) emissions and influence on global climate change. Thus, the identification of effective CH4 mitigation strategies which do not compromise animal performance is urgently needed, especially in context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined in the Paris Agreement of the United Nations. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to: 1) collate a database of individual sheep, beef and dairy cattle records from enteric CH4 emission studies conducted in the LAC region, and 2) perform a meta-analysis to identify feasible enteric CH4 mitigation strategies, which do not compromise animal performance. After outlier?s removal, 2745 animal records (65% of the original data) from 103 studies were retained (from 2011 to 2021) in the LAC database. Potential mitigation strategies were classified into three main categories (i.e., animal breeding, dietary, and rumen manipulation) and up to three subcategories, totaling 34 evaluated strategies. A random effects model weighted by inverse variance was used (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.3.070). Six strategies decreased at least one enteric CH4 metric and simultaneously increased milk yield (MY; dairy cattle) or average daily gain (ADG; beef cattle and sheep). The breed composition F1 Holstein × Gyr decreased CH4 emission per MY (CH4IMilk) while increasing MY by 99%. Adequate strategies of grazing management under continuous and rotational stocking decreased CH4 emission per ADG (CH4IGain) by 22 and 35%, while increasing ADG by 22 and 71%, respectively. Increased dietary protein concentration, and increased concentrate level through cottonseed meal inclusion, decreased CH4IMilk and CH4IGain by 10 and 20% and increased MY and ADG by 12 and 31%, respectively. Lastly, increased feeding level decreased CH4IGain by 37%, while increasing ADG by 171%. The identified effective mitigation strategies can be adopted by livestock producers according to their specific needs and aid LAC countries in achieving SDG as defined in the Paris Agreement

Caracterización de sistemas de alimentación de ovinos en el departamento de Córdoba, Colombia

The objective of this study was to characterize the sheep feeding systems and food resources in 26 sheep production units (UP) of 13 municipalities of Córdoba, Colombia. The information was collected semi-structured surveys. The questionnaire included these topics: a) Geographical location of the UP, b) Characteristics of infrastructure and animal component, c) Animal management and productive control, d) Nutritional composition of feeds, e) Characterization of the diets used and, f) Feeding management. The indicators were analyzed by descriptive statistics and cluster analysis. Most of the UP were extensive with a predominance of bovine and sheep herds (84.6%), use of various sheep breeds (61.1%), verification of colostrum consumption (88%), use Botrhriocloa pertusa in continuous grazing (69.2%) and supplementation of animals (53.9%). The cluster analysis produced two groups of farms (G1, G2), the G1 with 3 UP and, herds with more than 400 sheep. G2 with 23 UP with less than 100 sheep. In both groups the grazing was predominantly continuous with supplementation, highlighting a good structure of the herds. It is concluded, that in Córdoba, sheep production is based on grazing in transition from a medium to semi-intensive technological level; as Colombian national production, with inadequate food management and opportunities for improvement due to the availability of good quality food resourcesEl objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar los sistemas de alimentación de ovinos y los recursos alimenticios en 26 unidades productivas (UP) de 13 municipios de Córdoba, Colombia. La información se recopiló mediante cuestionarios semiestructurados, conformados por las áreas temáticas: a) Ubicación geográfica de las UP, b) Características de infraestructura y componente animal, c) Manejo animal y control productivo, d) Composición nutricional de alimentos, e) Caracterización de dietas utilizadas y f) Manejo de la alimentación. En los análisis descriptivos, se encontró que la mayoría de las UP eran extensivas con predominio de rebaños bovinos y ovinos (84,6%), uso de varias razas de ovinos (61,1%), verificación del consumo de calostro (88%), uso de Botrhriocloa pertusa en pastoreo continuo (69.2%) y ocasionalmente suplementan los animales (53.9%). Con el análisis de conglomerados y la evaluación interna realizada, se encontró que la mejor estructura de agrupamiento se obtuvo con el método de las k medias, el cual concentró las 26 UP en dos grupos G1 y G2, el G1 con 3 UP, caracterizado por rebaños con más de 400 animales, mientras que, el G2 con 23 UP, mostró un inventario promedio menor a 100 animales; ambos grupos con pastoreo continuo y uso de suplementos, con adecuada estructura de los rebaños. Se concluye que, en Córdoba, la producción ovina se basa en el pastoreo, en transición desde un nivel tecnológico medio a semi-intensivo; similar a la producción nacional colombiana, asociada con una inadecuada gestión de los alimentos y con oportunidades de mejora debido a la disponibilidad de recursos alimentarios de buena calidad

Enteric methane mitigation strategies for ruminant livestock systems in the Latin America and Caribbean region: a meta-analysis.

Abstract: Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) is a developing region characterized for its importance for global food security,producing 23 and 11% of the global beef and milk production, respectively. The region?s ruminant livestock sector however, is under scrutiny on environmental grounds due to its large contribution to enteric methane (CH4) emissions and influence on global climate change. Thus, the identification of effective CH4 mitigation strategies which do not compromise animal performance is urgently needed, especially in context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined in the Paris Agreement of the United Nations. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were to: 1) collate a database of individual sheep, beef and dairy cattle records from enteric CH4 emission studies conducted in the LAC region, and 2) perform a meta-analysis to identify feasible enteric CH4 mitigation strategies, which do not compromise animal performance. After outlier?s removal, 2745 animal records (65% of the original data) from 103 studies were retained (from 2011 to 2021) in the LAC database. Potential mitigation strategies were classified into three main categories (i.e., animal breeding, dietary, and rumen manipulation) and up to three subcategories, totaling 34 evaluated strategies. A random effects model weighted by inverse variance was used (Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.3.070). Six strategies decreased at least one enteric CH4 metric and simultaneously increased milk yield (MY; dairy cattle) or average daily gain (ADG; beef cattle and sheep). The breed composition F1 Holstein ×Gyr decreased CH4 emission per MY (CH4IMilk) while increasing MY by 99%. Adequate strategies of grazing management under continuous and rotational stocking decreased CH4 emission per ADG (CH4IGain) by 22 and 35%, while increasing ADG by 22 and 71%, respectively. Increased dietary protein concentration, and increased concentrate level through cottonseed meal inclusion, decreased CH4IMilk and CH4IGain by 10 and 20% and increased MY and ADG by 12 and 31%, respectively. Lastly, increased feeding level decreased CH4IGain by 37%, while increasing ADG by 171%. The identified effective mitigation strategies can be adopted by livestock producers according to their specific needs and aid LAC countries in achieving SDG as defined in the Paris Agreement