Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
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
Data processing pipeline for managing enteric methane emissions from sniffer: Application on dairy farming systems
Chiara Rossi1, Coralia I V Manzanilla-Pech2, Giampiero Grossi1
1Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy, 01100.
JDS Communications
|July 1, 2026
Summary
Accurate methane (CH4) quantification from ruminants is crucial for climate change mitigation. This study introduces a standardized sniffer data processing pipeline to reliably estimate individual CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in dairy animals.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Environmental Science
- Animal Science
Background:
- Accurate quantification of enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants is vital for global greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategies in the livestock sector.
- The sniffer method is a cost-effective, non-invasive technique for in vivo CH4 monitoring, but lacks standardized data processing and validation protocols.
- Estimating CH4 emissions is crucial for developing effective climate change mitigation strategies in livestock management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a standardized pipeline for processing sniffer-derived raw data to accurately estimate individual CH4 and CO2 emissions from dairy animals.
- To provide a harmonized and replicable framework for CH4 and CO2 emission measurements across different ruminant species and farming systems.
- To improve the reliability and comparability of enteric CH4 and CO2 emission data.
Main Methods:
- A data processing pipeline was developed integrating sniffer measurements with automatic milking system data.
- Procedures included time alignment, data cleaning, background gas correction, and CH4 peak detection.
- Individual daily CH4 production was estimated using a CH4:CO2 ratio method, validated across Holstein-Friesian cows, Brown Swiss cows, and Mediterranean buffaloes on commercial farms.
Main Results:
- The pipeline was tested on 141 animals across 3 farms in central Italy, analyzing 47,018 milkings.
- Methane emissions averaged 416.7 ± 74.9 g/d for Holstein-Friesian and 502.1 ± 158.4 g/d for Brown Swiss cows, showing a ~10% difference from IPCC Tier II estimates.
- Buffalo CH4 emissions averaged 279.0 ± 97.5 g/d, consistent with IPCC Tier II estimates.
Conclusions:
- The proposed pipeline offers a standardized and reproducible method for processing sniffer data to estimate enteric CH4 and CO2 emissions.
- This framework enhances the reliability and comparability of emission measurements in ruminants.
- The findings support improved GHG mitigation strategies within the livestock sector.
