Abstract
Simple SummaryAmong the measures proposed to reduce environmental pollution from the livestock sector, animal nutrition has a strong potential to reduce enteric and manure storages methane emissions. Changes in diet composition also affect the bioenergy potential of dairy manures. Corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), which are rich in fat, can be included in animal diets to reduce enteric methane (CH4) emissions, while increasing the bioenergy potential of the animal manure during anaerobic digestion. The inclusion of 30% DDGS in the cow diet caused a significant increase of 14% in daily bioenergy production (NL methane day−1·cow−1).abstractThe main objective of this study was to obtain scientifically sound data on the bioenergy potential of dairy manures from cows fed different levels of corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Three diets differing in corn DDGS content were formulated: 0% corn DDGS (DDGS0; control diet), 10% corn DDGS (DDGS10) and 30% corn DDGS (DDGS30). Bioenergy production was determined in psychrophilic (25 ± 1 °C) sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) fed 3 g COD L−1·day−1 during a two-week feeding period followed by a two-week react period. Compared to the control diet, adding DDGS10 and DDGS30 to the dairy cow diet increased the daily amount of fat excreted in slurry by 29% and 70%, respectively. The addition of DDGS30 increased the cows’ daily production of fresh feces and slurry by 15% and 11%, respectively. Furthermore, the incorporation of DDGS30 in the diet increased the daily amounts of dry matter (DM), volatile solids (VS), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and hemicellulose by 18%, 18%, 30%, 15% and 53%, respectively, compared to the control diet. While the addition of DDGS did not significantly affect the specific CH4 production per kg VS compared to the control diet, DDGS30 increased the per cow daily CH4 production by 14% compared to the control diet.
Highlights
Manure produced by livestock operations contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.In Canada, GHG emissions produced by the livestock sector represent about 8% of total national GHG emissions, and manure accounts for about 12% of agricultural emissions [1]
The inclusion of corn dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) had no effect on urine production but dairy cows fed DDGS30 showed a significant increase in the amount of fresh feces and slurry excreted per day, 15%
The inclusion of 10% corn DDGS was associated with a significant increase of 29% (p < 0.01) in the daily amount of fat excreted in slurry compared to the control diet
Summary
Manure produced by livestock operations contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In Canada, GHG emissions produced by the livestock sector represent about 8% of total national GHG emissions, and manure accounts for about 12% of agricultural emissions [1]. Methane (CH4), one of the principal agricultural GHGs, is produced by enteric fermentation in ruminant animals [2] and by anaerobic fermentation of manure in livestock buildings and manure storage facilities [3,4]. Environmental legislation and public concern about the environmental footprint of livestock production operations have increased the pressure on producers to take measures to reduce atmospheric and environmental pollution. Among all the measures proposed to reduce environmental pollution from the livestock sector, animal nutrition has a strong potential to reduce enteric and manure storages CH4 emissions
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