Ruminant methane – Extension of the animal calorimetry facility at AgResearch Grasslands
Authors: C S Pinares-Patino, H Clark ,G Waghorn, C Hunt, R Martin, P Lovejoy, J West
Download the full report in PDF format [PDF 757KB]
Executive summary
Work to provide New Zealand with world class facilities for the rapid and highly accurate measurement of methane (CH4) emissions from forage-fed ruminants has been completed. Four new calorimeters for sheep and a prototype chamber for cattle have been built and tested. The four new sheep chambers and the existing four chambers have been incorporated into a state-of-art eight-chamber sheep calorimetry and data acquisition system. This sheep system is now fully operational and is capable of measuring not only CH4 emissions but also CO2 and H2 emissions as well as O2 uptake. Innovative software which enables variable times of sample switching allows rapid cycling between samples (< 5 min, for 8 sheep and one ambient sample) producing a robust number of data points for the calculation of gas emissions. Historically, H2 emissions from ruminants have been neglected. Hydrogen is the principal energy source for rumen methanogenesis, but occasionally H2 can be emitted in respired breath. The system will further our understanding of CH4 production by measurement of H2. The cattle calorimetry system has been designed and built to high standards. Despite its large volume and weight, it provides an air-tight enclosure with safety provisions for both the animal and the operator. Both the sheep and cattle calorimetry systems include animal safety measures in compliance with animal welfare regulations. There is a plan in place for an additional cattle calorimeter to achieve a 2-chamber system. This work provides the facility and resources to advance and accelerate research to reduce CH4 emissions from forage-fed ruminants by enabling research in a timely and replicated fashion without excessive delays in access to facilities. No other facility of such nature exists in the Southern hemisphere.
Contact for Enquiries
Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change
MAF
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: 0800 CLIMATE (254 628)
Contact this person
