A new indicator for methane yield of individual cows

The relationship between methane emission of Holstein cows and the abundance of an archaeal enzyme, which catalyzes the final step of methane synthesis in the rumen, was examined by two partners participating in the METHAGENE network, the FBN Dummerstorf and the University of Kiel.

This study on establishing an indicator for methane yield from individual dairy cows will be published in the Journal of Dairy Science. Methane production of ten German Holstein dairy cows was measured in respiration chambers on two different diets. In parallel, an esophageal rumen fluid s ample was taken for the DNA abundance analyses of the methyl-coenzyme M reductase subunit -alpha (mcrA). Linear regressions between mcrA DNA abundances and methane yields were significant, highlighting the mcrA DNA approach as a potential proxy for methane yield.

Please find a link to the article: here

For more information, please contact Björn Kuhla (b.kuhla@fbn-dummerstorf.de)