Effect of SOP “STAR COW” on Enteric Gaseous Emissions and Dairy Cattle Performance

Elizabeth G Ross,Samantha J Werth,Angelica V Carrazco,Yuee Pan,Carlyn B Peterson,Lorenzo Poggianella,Marcello E Chiodini,James G Fadel,Edward J Depeters,Yongjing Zhao,Frank M Mitloehner

doi:10.3390/su122410250

Elizabeth G Ross, Samantha J Werth + Show 9 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410250

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Abstract

Feed additives have received increasing attention as a viable means to reduce enteric emissions from ruminants, which contribute to total anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the commercial feed additive SOP STAR COW (SOP) to reduce enteric emissions from dairy cows and to assess potential impacts on milk production. Twenty cows were blocked by parity and days in milk and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (n = 10): supplemented with 8 g/day SOP STAR COW, and an unsupplemented control group. Enteric emissions were measured in individual head chambers over a 12-h period, every 14 days for six weeks. SOP-treated cows over time showed a reduction in CH4 of 20.4% from day 14 to day 42 (p = 0.014), while protein % of the milk was increased (+4.9% from day 0 to day 14 (p = 0.036) and +6.5% from day 0 to day 42 (p = 0.002)). However, kg of milk protein remained similar within the SOP-treated cows over the trial period. The control and SOP-treated cows showed similar results for kg of milk fat and kg of milk protein produced per day. No differences in enteric emissions or milk parameters were detected between the control and SOP-treated cows on respective test days.

Highlights

Animal-sourced foods (ASF) have been under increased scrutiny due to public awareness and concern over environmental impacts
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of the feed additive SOP on enteric gaseous emissions and the impact on milk production from lactating dairy cows
There was no significant differences for CH4 seen from day 0 to days 14 or 42 within the SOP treatment or the control groups, meaning CH4 emissions before SOP treatment administration were similar to CH4 emissions after 14 and 42 days of treatment

Summary

Introduction

Animal-sourced foods (ASF) have been under increased scrutiny due to public awareness and concern over environmental impacts. Animal-sourced foods can improve national agricultural alignment to several UN Sustainable Development Goals by providing nutritious food to the population and stable livelihoods for rural communities [1], where the lack of arable land makes it possible only for ruminants to convert non-edible plants into food. The agricultural livestock sector (i.e., ASF) has been identified for its contributions to greenhouse gas (GHG) production. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [2], agriculture contributes 10 to 12% of anthropogenic CO2, 40% of methane (CH4), and 60% of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Methane and N2O are the most significant greenhouse gases produced by livestock production. While N2O originates mainly from nitrogen (N) fertilizers and manure application to agricultural soils [3], CH4 comes from enteric fermentation in ruminants [2] and manure decomposition during storage

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