Preliminary results on methane emission by nelore cattle in Brazil grazing Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu.

Abstract

Methane emissions by Nelore cattle grazing Brachiaria brizantha were monitored during winter (August) and spring (December) seasons. Sixteen Nelore steers with live weight (LW) varying from 206 to 525 kg, 196 to 538kg during winter and spring, respectively. Methane emissions were measured with the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) technique. Mean methane emissions were 102.3 and 136.5 g/animal/day and 0.343 and 0.420 g/kg LW/day in winter and spring, respectively. The mean emissions showed 39.7 and 35.3 g/kgDDMI for winter and spring seasons, respectively. For both seasons a high associative effect was observed of CH4 emissions and live weight (r=0.78 and r= 0.97, respectively) and DDMI (r= 0.73 and r=0.96, respectively). Relative methane emissions (g/kgLW) were inversely correlated with LW (r=-0.75 and -0.87 for winter and wet seasons, respectively). Variations in observed methane production among seasons were related to forage quality that affects digestibility and consumption

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