Dietary effects on pH, temperature and ruminal methane emission by Holstein cows. Case study

Abstract

The objective of this research was to estimate the production of ruminal methane in different prandial periods in fistulated Holstein adult cows and to evaluate the effect on methane production due to different diets commonly used in dairy cattle in an east region of Antioquia (Colombia). For this porpoise two different diets were evaluated on each cow; one of them was fed with forage Cenchrus clandestinus, the second one was fed with the same diet with an addition of 4 kg of commercial balanced feed/day. During seven days in periods of six hours, pH and temperature were measured in samples of ruminal fluid as well as methane emissions using a MQ4 gas sensor. As results must be said that forage based diet resulted in a major methane production, presenting the maximum concentration two hours after feeding and the minimum at six hours. Ruminal pH was directly affected by the diet; the lower value was found in the mixed based diet. There was no evidence of any effect of the diet on the ruminal mean temperature. Can be concluded that forage based diet resulted on a major production of methane compared to the mixed diet, this was also associated to pH changes but not to ruminal temperature. Although it is not possible to associate the production of methane to specific diet components. The food or supplements associated to changing pH values during the day may play a key role in the reduction of methane emissions and bovine energetic efficiency.

Keywords

• MQ4 sensor
• Forage
• Balanced diet