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Comparison of Methods to Measure Methane for Use in Genetic Evaluation of Dairy Cattle

Garnsworthy, Philip C.; Difford, Gareth F.; Bell, Matthew J.; Bayat, Ali R.; Huhtanen, Pekka; Kuhla, Bj�rn; Lassen, Jan; Peiren, Nico; Pszczola, Marcin; Sorg, Diana.; Visker, Marleen H.P.W.; Yan, Tianhai

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Authors

Philip C. Garnsworthy

Gareth F. Difford

Matthew J. Bell

Ali R. Bayat

Pekka Huhtanen

Bj�rn Kuhla

Jan Lassen

Nico Peiren

Marcin Pszczola

Diana. Sorg

Marleen H.P.W. Visker

Tianhai Yan



Abstract

Partners in Expert Working Group WG2 of the COST Action METHAGENE (www.methagene.eu) have used several methods for measuring methane output by individual dairy cattle under various environmental conditions. Methods included respiration chambers, the sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique, breath sampling during milking or feeding, the GreenFeed system, and the laser methane detector. The aim of the current study was to review and compare the suitability of methods for large-scale measurements of methane output by individual animals, which may be combined with other databases for genetic evaluations. Accuracy, precision and correlation between methods were assessed. Accuracy and precision are important, but data from different sources can be weighted or adjusted when combined if they are suitably correlated with the ‘true’ value. All methods showed high correlations with respiration chambers. Comparisons among alternative methods generally had lower correlations than comparisons with respiration chambers, despite higher numbers of animals and in most cases simultaneous repeated measures per cow per method. Lower correlations could be due to increased variability and imprecision of alternative methods, or maybe different aspects of methane emission are captured using different methods. Results confirm that there is sufficient correlation between methods for measurements from all methods to be combined for international genetic studies and provide a much-needed framework for comparing genetic correlations between methods should these become available.

Citation

Garnsworthy, P. C., Difford, G. F., Bell, M. J., Bayat, A. R., Huhtanen, P., Kuhla, B., Lassen, J., Peiren, N., Pszczola, M., Sorg, D., Visker, M. H., & Yan, T. (2019). Comparison of Methods to Measure Methane for Use in Genetic Evaluation of Dairy Cattle. Animals, 9(10), Article 837. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9100837

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Oct 15, 2019
Online Publication Date Oct 21, 2019
Publication Date 2019-10
Deposit Date Oct 22, 2019
Publicly Available Date Oct 22, 2019
Journal Animals
Electronic ISSN 2076-2615
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 9
Issue 10
Article Number 837
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9100837
Keywords Methane; dairy cows; genetic evaluation; greenhouse gases; environment
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2918056
Publisher URL https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/10/837
Contract Date Oct 22, 2019

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