Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (12): 4296-4305.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2022.12.015

• ANIMAL NUTRITION AND FEEDS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of Rumen Fermentation and Methane Production in Different Parity Dry Cows

LIU Zhihao1,2, JIA Peng1, LAI Qi3, DONG Lifeng1, WU Qiujue2, GAO Yanhua3, TIAN Zhonghong4, DIAO Qiyu1*   

  1. 1. Sino-US Joint Lab on Nutrition and Metabolism of Ruminants, Feed Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China;
    2. College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, China;
    3. College of Life Science and Technology, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China;
    4. Shandong Yinxiang Weiye Group Co. LTD., Heze 274000, China
  • Received:2022-01-17 Online:2022-12-23 Published:2022-12-25

Abstract: The objectives of the present study were to investigate the effect of parity time on ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane (CH4) production using the GreenFeed system, which examines relationships between methane (CH4) output and animal body weight and parity time, and to use these relationships to develop prediction equations for CH4 emission from Holstein cows at dry off in the normal physiological experimental under the housing condition. A total of 48 dry Holstein cows were selected and divided into 4 groups (12 cows in each group): first-, second-, third-, and fourth- and above-parity. The pre-trial period was 5 days and the formal trial period was 40 days. The results showed as follows: 1) The live weight and metabolic weight of third- and fourth- and above-parity groups were significantly higher than those of first- and second-parity groups (P<0.05). 2) Ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) of third-parity group was significantly higher than that of first-parity group (P<0.05), but no significant difference were found compared with the second-parity group and fourth- and above-parity groups (P>0.05); Compared with fourth- and above-parity group, microbial protein (MCP) of first-parity and second-parity groups were significantly increased (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference compared with the third-parity group (P>0.05); Compared with third-parity, valerate of first-parity group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), but there was not significantly different from the second-parity and fourth- and above-parity groups (P>0.05); The total volatile fatty acid (TVFA), pH, acetate, propionate, butyrat, isobutyrate, isovalerate, and acetate to propionate ratio were not significantly different among the treatment groups (P>0.05). 3) The average CH4 emission of dry cows was 336 g·d-1. The CH4 emissions of dry cows within third-parity and fourth- and above-parity groups were significantly higher than those of first-parity group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference compared with the group second-parity (P>0.05). 4) CH4 emission was positively related to parity time and body weight (BW) of dry cows in the correlation coefficients of 0.47 or 0.61, respectively (P<0.01). Based on body weight to establish a prediction model CH4(g·d-1)=0.348×BW (kg)+64.018 (R2=0.46). It is concluded that CH4 emission of Holstein cows at dry off can be predicted from BW. The dataset can also be used to validate a range of prediction equations for CH4 production of cows under other physiologicalstates.

Key words: greenhouse gas, methane, GreenFeed, ruminal fermentation, cows

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