Early indications that feeding Lotus will reduce methane
emissions from ruminants
S.L. WOODWARD, G.C. WAGHORN, M.J. ULYATT AND K.R. LASSEY
Dexcel Limited, Private Bag 3123, Hamilton, New Zealand.
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Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 2001. 61:
23-26
Ruminant livestock produce at least 75% of New Zealand’s total
methane emissions and are a major contributor of greenhouse gas
emissions. Most ruminant methane arises from microbial activity in the
rumen (methanogenesis) and is released through the mouth and nose.
Methane production per unit feed intake or per unit production can be
reduced by improving diet quality, for example, including legumes in a
pasture diet. A preliminary investigation with wether sheep showed lower
daily methane outputs per unit dry matter intake (DMI) when fed Lotus
pedunculatus (a condensed tannin-containing legume) than ryegrass-based
pasture or lucerne (14.5 vs. 20.4 vs. 19.0 gCH,4/kg DMI). Friesian dairy
cows fed either Lotus corniculatus silage or perennial ryegrass silage
had similar total methane outputs (376.7 vs. 344.4 g CH4/cow/ day; ns).
However, methane emissions were lower from cows fed Lotus silage when
expressed per unit DMI (26.90 vs. 35.13 g CH4/kg DMI; P<0.001) and
per unit production (378 vs. 434 g CH4/kg milksolids; P<0.05) as a
result of the higher intake and milksolids yield. The mitigation of
methane emissions from animals fed Lotus species was due in part to a
higher nutritive value relative to pasture but effects of condensed
tannins on methanogenesis warrants further investigation.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
methane; Lotus; dairy cows; sheep; ruminants
Last Updated 7/08/01
