Enteric methane emission of crossbreed Canchim, Bragus and Bonsmara steers, finished in feedlot

• Grant number: 12/50830-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Regular Grants
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: October 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Agreement: CNPq - First Projects Program
• Principal Investigator: Alexandre Berndt
• Grantee: Alexandre Berndt
• Host Institution: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In the last decade the debate on climate change, caused by the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) and consequent global warming has reached the global agricultural sector. Brazil has a prominent role in this scenario because it has an extensive land area associated with a favorable climatic condition, a good productive competence and a growing concern for sustainability. According to Brazil's second national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change, agriculture accounted for 19% of national emissions in C02 equivalents. Among the different sources of greenhouse gases coming from the agricultural, the CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation from ruminants has been the most significant, accounting for 63.2% of. the total CH4 emitted. The increasing intensification of the national livestock contributes to reduce emissions from the sector. Feedlot is one of the strategies used to reduce the slaughter age and GHG emissions per kilo of meat. This project aims to evaluate the methane emission from crossbred cattle finished in feedlot. Will be used males from crosses with Canchim, Brangus and Bonsmara bulls, in two consecutive years. The animals will be housed in collective pens equipped with GrowSafe trough for measuring individual intake. For the measurement of methane the project intend to acquire an automated collection and measurement equipment, called Greenfeed, that will be attached to the GrowSafe system. (AU)