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Lower Methane Emissions from Yak Compared with Cattle in Rusitec Fermenters
Jiandui Mi1, Jianwei Zhou1, Xiaodan Huang2
1School of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystem, International Centre for Tibetan Ecosystem Management, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
Plos One
|January 12, 2017
Summary
Rumen microbes from yaks produce less methane than cattle, offering a potential strategy for reducing livestock greenhouse gas emissions. This difference may stem from lower hydrogen production in yak-derived microbial communities.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Microbiology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Ruminant livestock are a major source of global methane (CH4) emissions, contributing 29% of the total.
- Understanding inherited variations in CH4 production among animal species can reveal methods for mitigating these emissions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differences in CH4 production and microbial community structure between yak and cattle rumen fluid using a rumen-simulating fermenter system.
- To identify the key factors influencing CH4 yield and volatile fatty acid profiles in relation to inoculum source.
Main Methods:
- Six Rusitec (rumen-simulating) fermenters were used, with diets of 50:50 forage to concentrate ratio (barley straw as forage).
- Fermenters were inoculated with rumen fluid from either yak or cattle.
- Microbial growth was quantified using 15N, and microbial community structure (bacteria and archaea) was analyzed via 16S rRNA gene sequencing (MiSeq).
Main Results:
- Methane yield was significantly lower in fermenters inoculated with yak rumen fluid (0.26 mmol CH4/g DMI) compared to cattle (0.33 mmol CH4/g DMI).
- Hydrogen (H2) production was also lower with yak inoculum (0.28 mmol/d) versus cattle (0.86 mmol/d).
- Apparent NDF digestibility, isovalerate proportion, H2 recovery, and microbial nitrogen derived from ammonia were higher with cattle inoculum.
Conclusions:
- Yak-derived rumen microbial communities exhibit lower methane production potential compared to cattle, potentially due to reduced hydrogen availability.
- These findings suggest that manipulating rumen microbial composition based on species-specific variations could be a viable strategy for reducing methane emissions in livestock.
- Further research into the specific microbial pathways and hydrogen dynamics is warranted to fully understand and exploit these differences.
