An easy method to measure the methane production of ruminants

Madsen, et al. AACAA2010. Addis. An easy method to measure the methane production of ruminantsSlide 1

AN EASY METHOD TO MEASURE THE METHANE PRODUCTION OF RUMINANTS

J. Madsen1, M. F. Bertelsen2, T. Hvelplund3, and M. R. Weisbjerg3

1Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

2Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark

3Department of Animal Health and Bioscience, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Aarhus University, Denmark


Background for the development of the method

Respiration chambers measurements:• can only be done on relatively few animals• animals are not in their natural environment

SF6 measurements:

• are not very reliable

• SF6 is a strong greenhouse gass

Another option exist based on:• measurement of the ratio between CH4 and CO2

• 3 facts


1. There is a relation between heat production and CO2 production

Nutrient Fat Protein Carbohydrate

kJ / l CO2 28 24 21

Fat Protein Carbohydrate kJ / l CO2

Diet 1 5 20 75 21,95

Diet 2 3 18 79 21,75

Diet 3 4 16 80 21,76

Diet 4 1 4 95 21,19


2.Breath contains much higher concentrations of CH4 and CO2 than air

Breath:CO2 = 38000 ppmCH4 = 1800 ppm

Air:CO2 = 380 ppmCH4 = 1,8 ppm


3.The heat production and/or utilization of

metabolizable energy by livestock has been

intensively studied and described.

The heat production can thus be established for

different animals with a reasonable accuracy!


Results from dairy cows


CO2 as a marker (instead of SF6)

for the amount of breath / air from animal

Example Wallaby (16 kg live weight)

Heat production for maintenance 385 kJ/ kg0,75

(Munn and Dawson (2003)

Wallaby: 16 kg0,75 = 8

8 * 385 = 3080 kJ/day

3080/21,75 = 142 l CO2/day

If we can measure the ratio between CH4 and CO2 in the breath / air from animal then we can calculate the CH4 production


C.K. Environment A/S3500 VærløseDenmark www.cke.dk

FTIR infrared analyser250 different gasses





CO2 as a marker (instead of SF6)

for the amount of breath / air from animal

Example Wallaby (16 kg live weight)

Heat production for maintenance 385 kJ/ kg0,75

(Munn and Dawson (2003)

Wallaby: 16 kg0,75 = 8

8 * 385 = 3080 kJ/day

3080/21,75 = 142 l CO2/day

CH4 production of the Wallaby=

142 * 0,02 l/day = 2,8 l CH4/day




Results from dairy cows (AMS)


61 Red Danish cows in AMS. Individual feed intake not known

Kg milk / cow / day


39 Holstein cows in AMS with known individual feed intake


CH4/CO2 versus CH4E of GE

0,000,010,020,030,040,050,060,070,080,090,100,110,12

0,00 0,01 0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12

CH4/CO2

CH

4 en

erg

y o

f G

ross

en

erg

y

Calves ~45 bulls. 117-268 kg LW. Open cirquet. Thorbek 1980"

Wallaby. 8. 16 kg LW. Open cirquit. Madsen et al.



0,000,010,020,030,040,050,060,070,080,090,100,110,12

0,00 0,01 0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12

CH4/CO2

CH

4 en

erg

y o

f G

ross

en

erg

y


Cows 39 Holstein. Spot. Madsen et al.

Cows 61 Red Danish. Spot. Madsen et al

Cows. 7 farms. Building. Spot. Bjerg et al.



CH4/CO2 61 dairy cows in 5 days (mean +/- 1,96*S.E.)

0,000

0,010

0,020

0,030

0,040

0,050

0,060

0,070

0,080

0,090

0,100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Hour of day

0,000

0,010

0,020

0,030

0,040

0,050

0,060

0,070

0,080

0,090

0,100

New feed New feed




Conclusions

It is possible to measure the CH4 production of individual animals or groups of animals if: - the concentration of breath in the air is above ~3% - the heat (and CO2) production of the animals can be calculated - the ratio between CH4 and CO2 can be measured

Wallabies produce only 25% of the methane produced by ruminants on the same diet

Many things can be investigated by having a fast, reliable and cheap method which produce - many results in a short time span - results from animal in their natural environment

The measurements can be done on individual animals for - testing the effect of different feeds - investigating the potential in selection / breeding - investigating the differences between breeds and species

or

Investigations can be made on whole animal houses (ruminants and other animals) for - testing the effect of different feeds, breeds and species - testing the effect of different production systems


Thank you for listening







Example of a dairy cow: Intake 18 kg dry matter/dayProduction 20 kg milk/day Weight loss 500 g/day

Undigested carbon1500 gDigestion

and metabolism

Milk Weight loss carbon carbon1300 g 100 g

Intakecarbon

7500 g

CO2 out

4200 gCH4 out

400 g


Methane production from various animals Champ et al 1990, Jensen, 1996)

Weight, kg

CH4/day l CH4/kg0,75

Cow 700 600 4,41

Cow 500 230 2,18

Sheep 40 30 1,89

Elephant 1700 110 0,42

Hippopotamus 1000 70 0,39

Rheino 800 60 0,40

Horse 500 80 0,76

Donkey 250 40 0,64

Zebra 200 20 0,38

Pig 100 10 0,32

Man 50 2 0,11

Warthog 45 4 0,23

Wallabe 16 1,8 0,23

Goose 0,4 0,05 0,10

Rat 0,3 0,001 0,00


”Bygningsberegninger”


”Fysiologi-, fodringsberegninger”



0,000,010,020,030,040,050,060,070,080,090,100,110,12

0,00 0,01 0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12

CH4/CO2

CH

4 en

erg

y o

f G

ross

en

erg

y






0,000,010,020,030,040,050,060,070,080,090,100,110,12

0,00 0,01 0,02 0,03 0,04 0,05 0,06 0,07 0,08 0,09 0,10 0,11 0,12

CH4/CO2

CH

4 en

erg

y o

f G

ross

en

erg

y



Cows. 7 farms. Building. Spot. Bjerg et al.



Results from one wallaby

Kangaroo "OG" l/CO2 /24 h

0,00

50,00

100,00

150,00

200,00

250,00

300,00

350,00

400,00

450,00

500,00

1 272 543 814 1085 1356 1627 1898 2169 2440 2711 2982 3253 3524 3795

MeasMurement no (24 hours)

l CO

2 / 2

4 h


Measured =88%


Average figures for 4 and 8 wallabees

CH4/CO2 korr Grass ---4---

Hay + Conc -----8-------

Hay + Conc --------4--------

Mean ppm CO2 1975,458 1925,827 1858,602

Mean ppm CH4 24,70606 31,47018 31,07481

Mean CH4/CO2 korr 0,01580 0,0207 0,0208





Technology

An easy method to measure the methane production of ruminants