Assessment of indicator traits for genetic evaluation of methane emission and feed efficiency in dairy cattle ('MethaGENE plus')

• Research unit: COST
• Project number: C15.0027

Key words (English)

Methane; greenhouse gas; breeding; dairy cow; livestock; respiration chamber; milk; mid-infrared spectra; sulphur hexafluoride; GreenFeed; Laser

Research programs (English)

COST-Action FA1302 - Large-scale methane measurements on individual ruminants for genetic evaluations

Short description (English)

Switzerland intends to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. One option is to abate livestock-derived methane, where the current set of nutritional strategy options shall be complemented by breeding measures. The project, carried out in COST Action FA1302 'Methagene', aims at assisting to achieve this goal. The largest constraint for routine genetic evaluation is the need for a large number of individual methane data, i.e., rapid methods or accurate methane proxies where milk mid-infrared spectra routinely determined in cows seem promising (seen from established collaboration of applicants and Belgian partners). The project consists of five work packages: -1 Screening of the Swiss herdbook cow population for low and high methane emitters using routine milk spectral data -2 Experiment at Agroscope. Use of SF6 and GreenFeed under grazing compared with milk spectra proxies using low- and high-emitting cows -3 Experiment at ETH Zurich with presumed low and high emitters selected from Swiss cow population in WP1. Use of respiration chambers, SF6 and laser detector, vs. milk spectra proxies -4 Evaluation of the suitability of the rapid methods and proxies of methane emission for breeding purpose -5 Development of the boundary conditions for successful implementation in breeding programs In addition, supportive data obtained shall show novel ways for genetic improvement of feed efficiency, a key to a low methane emission intensity, and its prediction from milk spectra.

Partners and International Organizations (English)

AT; BE; DK; FI; FR; MK; DE; IE; IT; LT; NL; NO; PL; PT; SK; SI; ES; SE; TR; UK

Abstract (English)

In this project, which is part of COST Action FA1302 ‘Large-scale methane measurements on individual ruminants for genetic evaluations’ a number of indicator traits are assessed for their suitability for genetic evaluation of methane emission and feed efficiency in dairy cattle The two main project objectives are: (i)Testing of rapid low-cost accurate proxies or direct measurement methods for their accuracy and their calibration with in-depth measurements of enteric methane emission of low- and high emitting cows. (ii) Determination of the effects of potential factors of influence like diet type, intake, milk yield, cow age, digesta retention time, stage of lactation or immune status on the accuracy of methane proxies and their variation by these factors. In the first period reported, parts of the two first work packages have been carried out. Data are currently under evaluation.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: COST-DB of the State Secretariat for Education and Research Hallwylstrasse 4 CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland Tel. [phone] Swiss Project-Number: C15.0027