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Updated: Aug 14, 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
Dried Distillers' Grains with Solubles in Ruminant Diets: Effects on Enteric Methane Emissions and Production
Lwazi Mwanda1,2, Lwando Mbambalala3, Musa Ikramatu4
1Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGSs) may reduce methane yield in ruminants, but not always total production. Moderate DDGS inclusion can improve nutrient use and animal performance, though higher levels may decrease fiber digestibility.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Animal Science
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Enteric methane (CH4) emissions from ruminants are a significant source of greenhouse gases.
- These emissions represent a loss of dietary energy, impacting animal production efficiency.
- Dried distillers' grains with solubles (DDGSs) are explored as a feed ingredient to mitigate these issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of DDGS supplementation on enteric methane emissions.
- To evaluate the impact of DDGS on nutrient utilization in ruminant diets.
Main Methods:
- Conducted literature searches in major scientific databases (2010-2025).
- Followed PRISMA guidelines and used the SYRCLE tool for risk of bias assessment.
- Included 17 studies (in vivo, in vitro, and integrated) for qualitative synthesis.
Main Results:
- DDGS supplementation did not consistently reduce absolute CH4 production.
- Reductions in CH4 yield and emission intensity were more frequently observed.
- Moderate DDGS inclusion (up to 20% DM) often improved nutrient utilization and performance, but higher levels (>30% DM) showed variable responses and reduced fiber digestibility.
Conclusions:
- DDGS can potentially improve nutrient utilization and production efficiency in ruminants under specific dietary conditions.
- The effectiveness of DDGS depends on inclusion level, source, basal diet, and production system.
- Further research may be needed to optimize DDGS use for methane reduction and animal productivity.
Keywords:
dietary lipidsdigestibilityfeed efficiencylivestock sustainabilitymetabolizable proteinmethane intensitynitrogen utilizationrumen fermentationMore Related Videos
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