Potential for mitigation of enteric methane in integrated agricultural production systems

• Grant number: 19/26609-8
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Adibe Luiz Abdalla
• Grantee: Alyce Raiana Monteiro dos Santos
• Home Institution: Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Enteric methane (CH4) production causes high energy loss for ruminants. This yield is higher when animals consume low digestible forage, so increasing forage quality is an effective way to reduce CH4 emission per animal unit. Crop-livestock and crop-livestock-forest integration systems are strategies for sustainable production with potential to mitigate climate change from greenhouse gases. The aim of this study is to investigate the ruminal fermentation rate and degradability of forage produced in different integrated systems and to estimate/simulate in silico, from forage fiber content, forage digestibility and mathematical models, greenhouse gas production by beef cattle. For this, data will be used from experiments carried out at Embrapa Agrossilvipastoril in Sinop - MT, conducted in a randomized complete block design with four production systems and four replications. The systems were defined as: 1. Livestock (L) in monoculture; 2. Livestock-forestry (LF); 3. Crop-livestock (CL); and 4. Crop-livestock-forestry (CLF). Analyzes will be performed to determine the fermentation rate and organic matter degradability by in vitro gas production system. Calibrations of the RUMINANT model will be performed to estimate enteric CH4 emissions based on forage quality in different systems. Besides the publication of scientific research, the results obtained in this work should be presented to the scientific community and disseminated in order to contribute to public policies and to provide subsidies to propose a sustainable food alternative for beef cattle production. (AU)