Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA
Grazing studies were carried out over a 5-year period using pregnant cows, yearling calves and 2-year-old heifers to investigate the influence of diet on intake, methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions and retention of nitrogen (N). Monoculture legume (birdsfoot trefoil, BFT and cicer milkvet...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/304 |
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| author | Jennifer W. MacAdam Lance R. Pitcher Andrea I. Bolletta Raul D. Guevara Ballesteros Karen A. Beauchemin Xin Dai Juan J. Villalba |
| author_facet | Jennifer W. MacAdam Lance R. Pitcher Andrea I. Bolletta Raul D. Guevara Ballesteros Karen A. Beauchemin Xin Dai Juan J. Villalba |
| author_sort | Jennifer W. MacAdam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grazing studies were carried out over a 5-year period using pregnant cows, yearling calves and 2-year-old heifers to investigate the influence of diet on intake, methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions and retention of nitrogen (N). Monoculture legume (birdsfoot trefoil, BFT and cicer milkvetch, CMV) or grass (meadow bromegrass, MBG) pastures were rotationally stocked, and during year 4 and year 5, treatments were contrasted with total mixed rations (TMR) fed in confinement. The sulfur hexafluoride (SF<sub>6</sub>) method was used to continuously measure enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Intake was greater on legume pastures and on TMR than on grass pastures, and enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions per unit of intake were lower on legumes compared with grass pastures. Legume pastures had elevated non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) concentrations (400 g kg<sup>−1</sup> dry matter; DM) typical of perennial legumes cultivated in the Mountain West. A N balance calculated in 2017–2018 demonstrated that N retention was greater for TMR and legume than grass pastures. Enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions of grazing cow herds account for the majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from beef production and can be significantly reduced by using highly digestible forage legumes. The N retention of legumes can potentially enhance the efficiency of N use, thereby increasing the sustainability of grasslands. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:51:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c300df356f9c4da3bc888cde8835d531 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:51:40Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-c300df356f9c4da3bc888cde8835d5312023-11-23T18:19:38ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952022-01-0112230410.3390/agronomy12020304Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USAJennifer W. MacAdam0Lance R. Pitcher1Andrea I. Bolletta2Raul D. Guevara Ballesteros3Karen A. Beauchemin4Xin Dai5Juan J. Villalba6Department of Plants, Soils and Climate, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USAAmalgamated Sugar Company, Boise, ID 83709, USAEstación Experimental Agropecuaria Bordenave, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Bordenave, Buenos Aires 8187, ArgentinaAnimal Welfare Education Centre, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, SpainLethbridge Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB T1K 4B1, CanadaUtah Agricultural Experiment Station, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USADepartment of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USAGrazing studies were carried out over a 5-year period using pregnant cows, yearling calves and 2-year-old heifers to investigate the influence of diet on intake, methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions and retention of nitrogen (N). Monoculture legume (birdsfoot trefoil, BFT and cicer milkvetch, CMV) or grass (meadow bromegrass, MBG) pastures were rotationally stocked, and during year 4 and year 5, treatments were contrasted with total mixed rations (TMR) fed in confinement. The sulfur hexafluoride (SF<sub>6</sub>) method was used to continuously measure enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions. Intake was greater on legume pastures and on TMR than on grass pastures, and enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions per unit of intake were lower on legumes compared with grass pastures. Legume pastures had elevated non-fiber carbohydrate (NFC) concentrations (400 g kg<sup>−1</sup> dry matter; DM) typical of perennial legumes cultivated in the Mountain West. A N balance calculated in 2017–2018 demonstrated that N retention was greater for TMR and legume than grass pastures. Enteric CH<sub>4</sub> emissions of grazing cow herds account for the majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from beef production and can be significantly reduced by using highly digestible forage legumes. The N retention of legumes can potentially enhance the efficiency of N use, thereby increasing the sustainability of grasslands.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/304birdsfoot trefoilcicer milkvetchcondensed tanninsenteric methanemeadow bromegrassnitrogen retention |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer W. MacAdam Lance R. Pitcher Andrea I. Bolletta Raul D. Guevara Ballesteros Karen A. Beauchemin Xin Dai Juan J. Villalba Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA Agronomy birdsfoot trefoil cicer milkvetch condensed tannins enteric methane meadow bromegrass nitrogen retention |
| title | Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA |
| title_full | Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA |
| title_fullStr | Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA |
| title_short | Increased Nitrogen Retention and Reduced Methane Emissions of Beef Cattle Grazing Legume vs. Grass Irrigated Pastures in the Mountain West USA |
| title_sort | increased nitrogen retention and reduced methane emissions of beef cattle grazing legume vs grass irrigated pastures in the mountain west usa |
| topic | birdsfoot trefoil cicer milkvetch condensed tannins enteric methane meadow bromegrass nitrogen retention |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/12/2/304 |
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