Location: Livestock, Forage and Pasture Management Research Unit
Project Number: 3070-21500-001-017-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Apr 20, 2024
End Date: Aug 31, 2028
Objective:
1) Neonatal programing to alter the rumen microbiome and methane emissions in beef heifers.
a) Evaluate the efficacy of neonatal programs to alter the rumen microbiome and reduce emissions beyond the period of intervention.
2) Reduce methane emissions intensity in the grazing phase of beef production systems through grazing management.
a) Evaluate the seasonal effects of supplementation on methane emissions intensity.
b) Evaluate the effects of prescribed burning on methane emissions intensity for cattle grazing the pastures.
Approach:
We will evaluate various treatments that are either fed to lactating dams and transferred to calves through the milk or given directly to neonates as a supplement that alters the rumen microbiome. We will then measure the enteric methane emissions and the performance of these calves as they grow and develop to quantify the effects of the treatments on emissions intensity during and beyond the period of intervention. We will also evaluate the efficacy of various nutritional supplements and grazing management strategies for reducing methane emissions intensity in the grazing phase of beef production systems. In the first experiment, we will provide cattle with nutritional supplements during the grazing phase and measure the enteric methane emissions and performance while they graze similar pastures in different seasons of the year. We will compare those metrics with cattle that have not received the supplement but that grazed similar forage. In the second experiment, we will evaluate the effects of treating the pasture by either burning or mowing the standing dead prior to grazing on emissions intensity. We will measure enteric methane and animal performance of cattle grazing the treated pastures and compare those with cattle grazing untreated pastures. For each experiment the enteric methane emission will be measured using GreenFeed units.
