Effect of age on methane emissions of red deer stags from weaning until one year of age grazing pasture

Natasha Madeleine Swainson ,S O Hoskin ,H Clark ,N López‐Villalobos

doi:10.22358/jafs/74614/2007

Natasha Madeleine Swainson , S O Hoskin + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.22358/jafs/74614/2007

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine if methane emissions from young farmed deer increase with age. Methane emissions of 20 red deer stags grazing permanent perennial rye grass-based pasture were measured four times post-weaning, at 4.5, 6.5, 9 and 11.5 months of age, using the sulphur hexafluoride technique. Methane production and methane yield increased with age (P＜0.05) and appeared lower (26％) than previous measurements from adult deer on similar pasture. These results imply that total methane emissions from young deer recorded in the New Zealand Greenhouse Gas Inventory are likely to be overestimated if values are based on adult methane emissions only.

Highlights

Methane emissions from ruminant livestock in New Zealand (NZ) represent 31.3% of NZ’s total greenhouse gas emissions (Anon, 2005); accurate inventories of methane production for all farmed livestock classes are required
This study indicates that methane yield and production may increase with age in young deer and may be less that previously reported for adult deer (Swainson, 2004) which agrees with findings in sheep (Lassey et al, 1997; Ulyatt et al, 2005) and cattle (Cavanagh et al, 2004), when the SF6 technique has been employed to measure methane emissions
Methane production and methane yield from deer in the present study appeared to increase with age and were less than those previously recorded in adult deer

Summary

Introduction

Methane emissions from ruminant livestock in New Zealand (NZ) represent 31.3% of NZ’s total greenhouse gas emissions (Anon, 2005); accurate inventories of methane production for all farmed livestock classes are required. Ruminant methane inventories are based on the yield (methane grams per unit of dry matter intake (DMI)), from research conducted in NZ using the sulphur hexafluoride technique (SF6). Methane yield (in the NZ Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory of adult (greater than one year of age) sheep (20.9 g CH4/kg DMI), dairy cattle (21.6 g CH4/kg DMI) and deer (21.5 g CH4/kg DMI) appear to be similar. Average of adult sheep and dairy cattle, gained from actual methane measurements in those species. Methane measurements from deer have yielded similar values (22.5 g CH4/kg DMI) (Swainson, 2004). Cavanagh et al (2004) found that methane yields from beef cattle, aged from 6 months to approximately 14 months (17.8 g CH4/ kg DMI) appear to be lower than that of mature cattle. No studies have been conducted to measure methane emissions from immature deer, especially whilst grazing fresh forage

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