title: Methane production in cattle calculated by the nutrient composition of the diet.
abstract: In this study data originating from complete metabolic trials with cattle of both sexes, fed 337 rations at feed intake levels between one to three times maintenance energy requirement were used to regress the total CH4 emission to the level of DM intake and to the nutrient composition, respectively. A major component of the measured CH4 emission cannot be explained by DM intake but is rather due to differences in dietary nutrient composition. The amount of digestible nutrients especially of the carbohydrate fraction (starch, sugar, N-free residuals) are reliable to estimate CH4 release with high precision (r2 = 0.885). Its production rate increased to 1.9-fold higher levels (range 1.8-2.1) per g of N-free residuals compared to that induced per g of protein, starch or sugar, respectively. Furthermore, diets rich in fat reduced CH4 formation in the rumen. The regression equations fit a wide range of diets and diet compositions, and more importantly, they are applicable to various types of production systems.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit Nutritional Physiology "Oskar Kellner", Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals Dummerstorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jentsch
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schweigel
authors.forename: Friedrich
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weissbach
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scholze
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pitroff
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Derno
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000378:metabolism*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D004063:Digestion; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D008297:Male; D008697:Methane / Q000378:metabolism*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008697:Methane