Development of proxy indicators for methane output by sheep using rapid-throughput field and laboratory techniques

Crynodeb

Methane production by ruminants is a significant contributor to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (Webb et al., 2013). However, current values used to estimate methane output by sheep are default values and do not take into account animal and dietary factors that may affect methane output (Bernstein et al., 2007). Strategies to reduce ruminant methane output are the focus of a large body of research (Iqbal et al., 2008) and, in order to implement these strategies fully, a greater understanding of factors that influence ruminant methane emissions is necessary. The "gold standard" method for measuring methane output by sheep is the use of respiratory chambers (Blaxter and Clapperton, 1965). However, this method is expensive, time-consuming and labour intensive, making it unsuitable for use in an on-farm situation. The work presented in this thesis explores the potential of three proxies to estimate methane output by sheep, which could be used or adapted to be used as a practical means of estimating methane emissions from sheep on a large scale. The proxies investigated here are a Laser Methane Detector (LMD), used to take measurements of methane concentration from air expired by sheep, in vitro gas production analysis of feeds offered to sheep, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of feeds offered to sheep. Predictions of methane output obtained from each of the proxies are validated using respiratory chamber measurements taken from sheep offered a variety of feeds during different experiments. With further development and validation, all three proxies presented in this thesis demonstrate potential to be used to successfully estimate or predict methane output by sheep as measured in respiratory chambers.

Dyddiad Dyfarnu	02 Meh 2015
Iaith wreiddiol	Saesneg
Sefydliad Dyfarnu	Prifysgol Aberystwyth
Noddwyr	EBLEX
Goruchwyliwr	Jon Moorby (Goruchwylydd) & Charles Newbold (Goruchwylydd)