Socially Unacceptable Practices of Cows

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Socially Unacceptable Practices of Cows

• Blair HutchinsMaureen McGuigan

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Introduction

• Methane is known to be a greenhouse gas
• Domestic animals produce 77 Tg of methane
  annually
• Ruminants such as cows produce 84 of this
  methane

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World Cattle Methane Emissions

• Country Cattle(x1000) Methane/cow(kg) Tg/yr
• FSU 118 63
  7.5
• Brasil 140 50
  7.0
• W. Europe 100 64
  6.4
• Africa 188 33
  6.1
• India 197 28
  5.6
• U. S. 98 54
  5.3
• China 77 45
  3.4
• Australia 23 54
  1.2
• Other 338 46
  15.6
• World 1279 45.4
  58.1

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Project Goals

• Maximizing Profits while reducing Methane
  emissions at a Dairy facility

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Topics of Discussion

• Global Warming Methane
• Rumen Workings
• Nutrition
• Grazing Methods

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Global Warming

• Methane is one of the more potent greenhouse
  gases
• Reducing agricultural methane emissions has been
  recognized globally as a way to lessen the
  effects of global warming

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Rumen

• Digestive tract contains four stomach
  compartments
• Digestion in the rumen is a function of enteric
  fermentation (microbial processes)
• It is these processes which produce the methane
  that the cows release

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Nutrition

• Feeds account for ½ the total cost of producing
  milk
• Effects quality and quantity of milk produced
• Causes methane emissions
• But the nutritional and productive needs of the
  dairy cows still must be met

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Nutrition

• DMI - Dry Matter Intake
• NDF - Neutral Detergent Fibers
• ADF Acid Detergent Fibers
• Soluble Residues
• Lignin
• Hemicellulose NDF- ADF
• Cellulose ADF - Lignin

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Diagram of a plant cell showing cell wall
structure
Cell Content Protein Sugar Fats
Starch Pectins
Primary Wall
Secondary Wall
Hemicellulose
Cell Wall
NDF
Lignin
ADF
Cellulose
Nutrients
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Feeding Systems

• Confinement Feeding

• Intensive Grazing

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Intensively Managed Grazing

• Under this type of grazing system, cows are put
  to pasture in small paddocks
• These paddocks are only used when the plants
  inside them reach a certain level, and only
  grazed down to a predetermined height
• This type of grazing allows for maximum
  nutritional benefit with reduced cost to farmers
  and reduced methane production

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Our Model

• Confinement feeding
• 25 DMI from Grazing
• 45 DMI from Grazing
• 65 DMI from Grazing Year Round
• 65 DMI from Grazing Seasonal

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Results
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Results
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Results
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Future Research Ideas Applications

• Effects of other means of reducing methane
  through the use of other additives especially fat
  and hormones.
• Health aspects of different rotational grazing
  methods.
• Additional Carbon Sequestration by keeping plants
  in phase II while grazing.
• Application - Create methane calculation in dairy
  nutrition programs.

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