Performance and methane emissions by beef heifer grazing in temperate pastures and in integrated crop-livestock systems: The effect of shade and nitrogen fertilization

•Methane emissions by heifers were evaluated in different crop-livestock systems.•Methane emissions are neutralized by C sequestration in woody biomass.•Tree-crop competition must be minimized to reduce animal losses. Methane (CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation by cattle are the main source of...

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Published in:Agriculture, ecosystems & environment ecosystems & environment, 2018-02, Vol.253, p.90-97
Main Authors: da Silveira Pontes, Laíse, Barro, Raquel Santiago, Savian, Jean Victor, Berndt, Alexandre, Moletta, José Luiz, Porfírio-da-Silva, Vanderley, Bayer, Cimélio, de Faccio Carvalho, Paulo César
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal production
Beef
Black oat
C3 grasses
Carrying capacity
Cattle
Crops
Dry matter
Emissions
Emissions control
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus dunnii
Fermentation
Fertilization
Grazing
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gases
Information systems
Italian ryegrass
Livestock
Methane
Nitrogen
Pasture
Shading
Studies
Trees
Winter
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Summary:•Methane emissions by heifers were evaluated in different crop-livestock systems.•Methane emissions are neutralized by C sequestration in woody biomass.•Tree-crop competition must be minimized to reduce animal losses. Methane (CH4) emissions from enteric fermentation by cattle are the main source of greenhouse gases in livestock systems, but scarce information is available on the effect of production scenarios on CH4 emissions. The objective of this study was to assess animal performance and CH4 emissions by beef heifers grazing in a mixed Lolium multiflorum×Avena strigosa pasture in two different types of integrated systems, crop-livestock only (CL) or crop-livestock-tree (CLT), and with two nitrogen (N) supply levels (90 and 180kgNha−1, N90 and N180, respectively). The study was performed during the winter season (i.e., stocking season) over three years (2012–2014). Pasture shading by 6- to 8-year-old trees in the CLT system led to a reduction in the total annual herbage accumulation of approximately 2.6Mg dry matterha−1 (−51%) and a reduction in winter carrying capacity of 0.5 stock units ha−1 in comparison to the CL system. Average daily gain (ADG) was reduced by 32% in CLT compared to CL. Average CH4 emissions were 163±9.12g CH4 day−1 in heifers with an initial average live weight (LW) of approximately 250kg. Emissions of CH4 per kg of LW did not differ between treatments (P>0.05) with a mean of 0.58±0.030gkg−1. However, there were significant differences between treatments and among years when CH4 was expressed in gkgADG−1 and kg ha−1day−1. Per unit area, CH4 production ranged between 0.51±0.05 (CLT N180) and 0.86±0.12kgha−1day−1 (CL N180). Possible strategies to reduce losses in animal production in the CLT systems are discussed, as well as the potential of C sequestration by woody biomass of eucalyptus trees to mitigate CH4 emissions.
ISSN:0167-8809
1873-2305
DOI:10.1016/j.agee.2017.11.009