A Longitudinal Study with a Laser Methane Detector (LMD) Highlighting Lactation Cycle-Related Differences in Methane Emissions from Dairy Cows

Abstract

Reversing climate change requires broad, cohesive, and strategic plans for the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from animal farming. The implementation and evaluation of such plans demand accurate and accessible methods for monitoring on-field CH4 concentration in eructating breath. Therefore, this paper describes a longitudinal study over six months, aiming to test a protocol using a laser methane detector (LMD) to monitor CH4 emissions in semi-extensive dairy farm systems. Over 10 time points, CH4 measurements were performed in dry (late gestation) and lactating cows at an Azorean dairy farm. Methane traits including CH4 concentration related to eructation (E_CH4) and respiration (R_CH4), and eructation events, were automatically computed from CH4 measured values using algorithms created for peak detection and analysis. Daily CH4 emission was estimated from each profile’s mean CH4 concentration (MEAN_CH4). Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model, including breed, lactation stage, and parity as fixed effects, and cow (subject) and time point as random effects. The results showed that Holsteins had higher E_CH4 than Jersey cows (p 4 emission (p = 0.060), it was not significant when normalized to daily milk yield (p > 0.05). Methane emissions were lower in dry than in lactation cows (p p 4 emissions related to R_ CH4 compared to multiparous (p 4 emissions within the milk production cycle of dairy cows, and thus, the opportunity to tailor mitigation strategies accordingly.

Keywords

• Azores
• dairy cows
• extensive farming systems
• laser methane detector (LMD)
• methane
• milk sustainability