Enteric Methane Emissions in Dairy Cows with Different Genetic Groups in the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica

Cristóbal Villanueva; Muhammad Ibrahim; Cristina Castillo

doi:10.3390/ani13040730

Enteric Methane Emissions in Dairy Cows with Different Genetic Groups in the Humid Tropics of Costa Rica

Animals (Basel). 2023 Feb 17;13(4):730. doi: 10.3390/ani13040730.

Authors

Cristóbal Villanueva¹, Muhammad Ibrahim¹, Cristina Castillo²

Affiliations

¹ Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center, Turrialba 30501, Costa Rica.
² Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary School, University of Santiago de Compostela, Campus of Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain.

Abstract

Enteric methane (CH₄) is one of the main greenhouse gases emitted in livestock production systems with ruminants. Among the options to reduce such emissions, animal genetics is one of the factors that is taking relevance in recent years. The aim of the present study was to assess the emission of enteric CH₄ in dairy cows with different genetic backgrounds. Sixteen cows belonging to the following three genetic groups were selected for this study: seven F1 (50% Jersey × 50% Gyr), five Triple cross (50% Jersey × 31% Holstein × 19% Sahiwal) and four Jersey. Enteric CH₄ emissions were measured in all cows for 15 months, at the middle of each month, using the SF₆ technique. Enteric CH₄ emissions did not differ (p > 0.05) among genetic groups, although it varied with the stage of lactation, due to differences in milk yield and dry matter intake (DMI). Pasture DMI and the intensity of CH₄ emissions (g kg^-1 DMI) differed (p < 0.05) between dry and lactating cows, with higher DMI in the lactation period, while CH₄ emission intensity was higher for dry cows. Cows with the highest proportion of Bos taurus genes presented a higher annual mean methane conversion factor (Y_m), with 7.22, 7.05 and 5.90% for the Triple cross, purebred Jersey and F1, respectively. In conclusion, non-significant differences in enteric CH₄ emissions and Y_m were detected among dairy cows with different genetic backgrounds. However, F1 cows tended to show lower enteric CH₄ emission and Y_m, compared to those with more Bos taurus genes.

Keywords: crossbreds; dry matter intake; emissions intensity; lactation stage; methane conversion factor; purebreds.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the project entitled “Developing Competitive Livestock Production Systems with Low GHG Emissions in Central America”, funded by FONTAGRO and the Government of New Zealand. Moreover, some support was obtained from the Costa Rican Low emissions Livestock Production, financed by USAID and administered by the USDA.