Grass and legume intercropping as a strategy for methane mitigation in cattle stocking

• Grant number: 19/16977-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Pastures and Forage Crops
• Principal Investigator: Luciana Gerdes
• Grantee: Régis Leandro Ferreira da Silva
• Home Institution: Instituto de Zootecnia. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Nova Odessa , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/20084-5 - Strategic practices for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions in grassland systems of the Brazilian Southeast, AP.PFPMCG.TEM

Abstract

The use of grasses associated to forage legumes may contribute to the sustainability of ruminant production in pastures, and it is a practice that fits well in most predominant scenario of the Brazilian production system. It may also improve animal productive performance and reduce methane (CH4) emissions from the sector. The aim of this study is to evaluate the CH4 emission of cattle fed on intercropped pasture. For this project, 12 Jersey heifers (8-14 months of age and 250 kg of average body weight) will be used, distributed in three treatment groups, one feeding on a pasture cultivated only with marandu grass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) (control), marandu grass pasture with protein supplementation and marandu grass pasture intercropped with the legume Macrotyloma axillare. The following determinations will be carried out: in vivo emission of CH4 of the animals; canopy structure of both pastures. It is expected to characterise the antimethanogenic potential of this legume and to consolidate it as a tool to promote sustainability in the ruminant livestock production system. The work is being conducted in an experimental area of the Institute of Animal Science, located in the municipality of Nova Odessa/SP.