Genetic study of methane production predicted from milk fat composition in dairy cows

Predicted methane production based on milk fatty acids has demonstrated to be heritable and, thus, breeding could be used to decrease predicted methane production.

To achieve a reduction of methane production by dairy cows, a combination of strategies could be used. Breeding could be a useful addition, making a permanent, cumulative, and long-term contribution to methane reduction. Due to a lack of accurate, repeatable, individual methane measurements needed for breeding, indicators of methane production based on milk fatty acids (FA) have been proposed. The aim of the present study was to quantify the genetic variation for predicted methane yields. The milk fat composition of 1,905 first lactation Dutch Holstein-Friesian cows was used to investigate three different predicted methane yields (in g/kg DMI): Methane1, Methane2, and Methane3. Methane1 was based on the milk fat proportions of C17:0anteiso, C18:1trans10+11, C18:1cis11, and C18:1cis13 (R² = 0.73). Methane2 was based on C4:0, C18:0, C18:1trans10+11, and C18:1cis11 (R² = 0.70). Methane3 was based on C4:0, C6:0, and C18:1trans10+11 (R² = 0.63). Predicted methane yields were demonstrated to be heritable traits, with heritabilities between 0.12 and 0.44. Breeding can, thus, be used to decrease methane production predicted based on milk fatty acids.

This paper is now accepted for publication in Journal of Dairy Science – keep an eye on it! For more information, please contact sabine.vanengelen@wur.nl