Simm, Geoff

Russell, Graham

Bell, Matthew

Scottish Government Rural and Environmental Research and Analysis Directorate (RERAD)

Scottish Agricultural College (SAC)

2012-10-17T10:16:21Z

2012-10-17T10:16:21Z

2011-06-28

Dairy cattle make a significant contribution to global methane emissions. Milking cows in the UK make up about a fifth of the total cattle population, with Holstein-Friesian cows being the most common breed. Investigating ways to minimise methane, a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) produced by dairy cows from enteric fermentation and manure, has gained importance in recent years due its role in climate change. Currently, GHG emissions from UK dairy farming are predicted using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier II methodology. The IPCC Tier II methodology and statistical prediction equations from the literature were evaluated for their ability to reliably model methane output using data from the Langhill Holstein-Friesian experimental herd. The Langhill dairy herd is on a long-term breeding and feeding systems experiment, and cows are on average 88% North American Holstein genes. The production systems within the herd represent a range of dairy systems that may be found commercially. Therefore, production values were assumed to be representative of those that could be found in the commercial Holstein-Friesian population, so factors affecting system methane emissions and appropriate mitigation options could be investigated. Prediction equations using dry matter (DM) intake and gross energy intake as input values were the most appropriate equations for reliably estimating daily enteric methane output. However, if DM intake values are not available, the IPCC Tier II method was found to provide a suitable prediction of methane emissions over a cow‘s lactation and lifetime. This study found that GHG emissions from enteric fermentation and manure, expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq.), account for about 66% of dairy system CO2-eq. emissions, with enteric methane output being the main contributor (34% of system CO2-eq. emissions). Breeding for increased kilograms of milk fat plus protein production was shown to help reduce dairy system methane emissions. Cows of predominantly North American Holstein genes in this study produced more milk when fed a diet with a low proportion of forage and had lower GHG emissions and land requirement per kilogram energy corrected milk than similar cows fed a diet with a higher proportion of forage. Strategies to mitigate GHG emissions (including methane) and the environmental impact of dairy systems should seek to select animals that better utilise their feed intake to meet their genetic potential for milk production.

http://hdl.handle.net/1842/6506

en

The University of Edinburgh

Bell, M.J., Wall, E., Simm, G., Russell, G. and Roberts, D.J., 2008. Reducing dairy herd methane emissions through improved health, fertility and management. In: Steele M. and Nefzaoui, A. (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Livestock and Global Climate Change, 17-20 May, Hammamet, Tunisia, pp. 123-126.

Bell, M.J., Wall, E., Russell, G. and Simm, G., 2009. Modelling methane output from lactating and dry dairy cows. In: MacLeod, M., Mayne, S., McRoberts, N., Oldham, J., Renwick, A., Rivington, M., Russell, G., Toma, L., Topp, K., Wall, E., Wreford, A. (Eds.), Aspects of Applied Biology 93, Integrated Agricultural Systems: Methodologies, Modeling and Measuring. Association of Applied Biologists, Wellesbourne, UK, pp. 47-53. Updated version in Chapter 2.

Bell, M.J., Wall, E., Russell, G., Morgan, C. and Simm, G., 2010. Effect of breeding for milk yield, diet, and management on enteric methane emissions from dairy cows. Animal Production Science, 50:817-826. Presented in Chapter 3.

Bell, M.J., Wall, E., Russell, G., Roberts, D.J. and Simm, G., 2010. Risk factors for culling in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. The Veterinary Record, 167:238-240. In Appendix A.

methane

dairy cows

production systems

Modelling the effects of genetic line and feeding system on methane emissions from dairy systems

Thesis or Dissertation

Doctoral

PhD Doctor of Philosophy