STSM: Detectability of differences in methane emission potential

My name is Jana Pisarcikova, I am PhD student at Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Animal Physiology, Kosice in Slovakia. The topic of my thesis is “Manipulation of microbial digestion in rumen by phytogenic and no phytogenic additives” and my doctoral study is focussing on methane determining factors associated with variation in methane production, as well as on implementation of chromatographic methods for measurement of methane emission in relation to animal nutrition and digestion.

The STSM METHAGENE COST Action FA1302 provided me with an opportunity to perform a research stay at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Professorship of Animal Nutrition, at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. I have been here for 8 weeks in June and July, 2015. The aim of my experiment here is a screening of post-mortem rumen fluid for detectability of differences in methane emission potential.

My experiment here was really time-consuming. It consisted of collection of rumen fluid samples randomly at the slaughter house in Zurich two times per week: In collaboration with the doctoral student Wang Shaopu samples were collected from 8 animals every Monday and Wednesday. During the STSM 103 samples of rumen fluid from slaughtered cows were collected in total. Each sample was either kept as it was or supplemented with a dietary plant supplement aimed to decrease methanogenesis and analysed in duplicate measurements with Hohenheim Gas Test. With this test total gas production, pH, ammonia and methane concentration before and after 24-h incubation were measured. Back home the collected data will be analysed and we aim to publish them in 2016 and show the effect of the dietary plan supplement on the methane emissions.
In conclusion I would like to say, I am very happy I could be a part of group of Prof. Dr. Michael Kreuzer for this extensive Short Term Scientific Mission. I would like to express my thanks especially to Angela Schwarm for supervision and creating friendly atmosphere during my staying at Department, Wang Shaopu for his willingness to collect rumen fluid samples at slaughter house; moreover to all technicians in lab for everyday kindness and help with laboratory technique and instrumentation. I hope we will keep in touch our collaboration in field of collecting data on methane emissions of ruminants this way in the future. I am also very confident that our current work also will contribute to joint publication from this experiment. And, I hope to see these amazing people from ETH Zurich again at one of the many COST METHAGENE events.
I would like to acknowledge the financial support from STSM Grant from the COST Action FA1302 www.methagene.eu.

Jana Pisarcikova
pisarcikova@saske.sk