Back to the projectLocal innovations for reducing methane emissions in grazing ruminants
The three local technological innovations will allow for a reduction in the cost and time required to assess forage intake and digestibility, enteric methane emissions, and ingestive behavior in cattle in pastoral livestock systems in LAC
Context of the story
In LAC, livestock farming is an essential source of income. However, much of the growth in meat and milk production in this region has been based on increased livestock inventories, rather than on improved productivity indicators. The low adoption of technologies aimed at sustainably increasing productivity represents one of the main limitations in pasture-based livestock systems. Currently, there are limitations in the real-time assessment of key animal efficiency variables in cattle under grazing conditions, such as intake, ingestive behavior, digestibility, and enteric CH4 emissions. These conditions hinder efforts to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of livestock farms.
Obtaining accurate and adequate information on forage consumption and digestibility, enteric methane emissions and ingestive behavior in grazing will allow agile decision-making to increase feed efficiency.
The implemented initiative
Significant progress has been made across its four components: In Component 1, functional validation of the methane, respiratory flow, and GPS sensor modules was advanced with tests carried out under real field conditions to obtain methane emission profiles. In Component 2, the additive dose was optimized by reducing it by 50% (from 10g to 5g/animal/day) through in vitro testing; Component 3 established the foundations of a fecal sample bank and is developing R Studio scripts for spectral analysis; (3) In Component 4, 227 people (50.6% men, 49.3% women) were trained in 8 face-to-face workshops and 529 views were achieved in 2 webinars, while in Activity 4.2, 24 professionals (54% women) were trained.
The use of additives that manipulate enteric fermentation of the diet has the potential to improve nutrient use efficiency, reduce (CH4) emission and increase productivity
The technological solution
Implementing three local technological innovations to generate positive impacts on the socio-economic and environmental components of the meat chain actors population based on pastoral livestock systems in LAC. From an economic perspective, the proposal aims to reduce the cost and time required to obtain information on forage intake and digestibility, enteric methane emissions, and ingestive behavior in grazing cattle, which are key variables for the sustainability of any livestock system. This information will enable decision-making to increase the efficiency of forage and animal resource utilization, thereby promoting a 10% increase in weight gain (kg/day). Environmentally, the proposal aims to reduce per-animal (CO2) emissions by at least 10% through the optimization of ruminal fermentation using a local additive. This initiative will contribute to the training of undergraduate and graduate students, and to strengthening the technical-scientific capabilities of 20 researchers (60% women).
"Innovation consists of doing something new and different, whether solving an old problem in a new way, addressing a new problem with a proven solution, or bringing a new solution to a new problem"
Colombia
ArgentinaType of project
Results
Expected results include:
1. Implementation of a system based on remote sensors for monitoring ingestive behavior and quantifying enteric methane emissions in grazing cattle.
2. Recommendations for the use of a feed additive to reduce enteric methane emissions in pastoral bovine husbandry.
3. Validation of fecal near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology for quantifying intake and digestibility in grazing cattle.
4. Strengthened and/or trained direct beneficiaries in the three technological innovations to reduce methane emissions in ruminants.
Relevant data
Strengthening the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) system of the livestock sector, improving the positioning of LAC countries on GHG emissions.
Participating Organizations
Main donors
