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Updated: Dec 12, 2025
11:02
The Use of an Automated System GreenFeed to Monitor Enteric Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Ruminant Animals
Published on: September 7, 2015
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Predicting enteric methane production from cattle in the tropics.
R S Ribeiro1, J P P Rodrigues2, R M Maurício1
1Bio-Engineering Department, Federal University of São João Del Rei, 36307-352São João Del Rei, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Animal : an International Journal of Animal Bioscience
|August 12, 2020
Summary
Accurate methane (CH4) emission prediction for cattle is crucial for climate change mitigation. This study developed specialized equations for tropical conditions, improving greenhouse gas inventory accuracy.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Animal Science
Background:
- Accurate estimation of methane (CH4) production by cattle is vital for developing effective regional mitigation strategies.
- Existing prediction equations often lack precision and accuracy in diverse environmental and dietary contexts, particularly in tropical regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compile a comprehensive database of CH4 emissions from Brazilian cattle studies.
- To evaluate the predictive performance of existing CH4 emission equations for cattle.
- To develop novel, specialized equations for predicting CH4 emissions from cattle under tropical conditions.
Main Methods:
- Compiled a dataset of 677 animal observations and 40 treatment means from 38 Brazilian studies, including nutrient intake, diet composition, and CH4 emissions.
- Evaluated 54 existing prediction equations and developed 96 new multiple linear models using variables like dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), and diet composition (NDF, EE).
- Utilized leave-one-out cross-validation to assess model performance, focusing on prediction accuracy and precision.
Main Results:
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier 2 method showed variable performance, often overpredicting CH4 emissions across datasets.
- Newly developed models demonstrated improved performance with increasing complexity, offering better prediction accuracy.
- Specific equations were developed for growing/non-lactating cattle (GCNL) incorporating diet characteristics (EE, NDF) and for lactating cows (LAC) based on intake and animal factors.
Conclusions:
- The developed equations provide a more accurate and precise estimation of CH4 emissions from cattle in tropical environments.
- These specialized equations can enhance the accuracy of greenhouse gas inventories in tropical countries.
- The study offers valuable insights into dietary and animal factors influencing enteric CH4 production in tropical systems.
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