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Ferreira J, Chay-Canul AJ, De Barbieri I, da Costa RLD. Compilations and updates on residual feed intake in sheep. Trop Anim Health Prod 2024; 56:172. [PMID: 38771474 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-024-04018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The increasing global demand for food and the strong effect of climate change have forced animal science to advance regarding new methods of selection in search of more efficient animals in production systems. Feed consumption represents more than 70% of the costs of sheep farms, and more efficient animals can increase the farmers' profitability. One of the main measures of feed efficiency is estimated residual feed intake (RFI), created in 1963 by Robert Koch for estimation in cattle and later adapted for sheep. Animals with negative RFI values (RFI-) are more efficient than animals with positive values (RFI+), with influence on the variables of performance, carcass quality and production of enteric gases. The RFI is the most common and accepted metric of the feed efficiency trait for genetic selection, since it is independent of growth traits, unlike the feed conversion ratio. The purpose of this review article was to present updated literature information on the relationship of RFI estimates with performance measures, molecular markers, greenhouse gas production and feed efficiency, the technical aspects and physiological basis of metabolic in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josiel Ferreira
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Zootecnia Diversificada, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Rua Heitor Penteado, 56, Nova Odessa, SP, 13380-011, Brazil.
| | - Alfonso Juventino Chay-Canul
- División Académica de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Villahermosa, 86280, Mexico
| | - Ignácio De Barbieri
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Ruta 5 km 386, Tacuarembó, 45000, Uruguay
| | - Ricardo Lopes Dias da Costa
- Centro de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento de Zootecnia Diversificada, Instituto de Zootecnia (IZ), Rua Heitor Penteado, 56, Nova Odessa, SP, 13380-011, Brazil.
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O' Connor E, McGovern FM, Berry DP, Dunne E, McEwan JC, Rowe SJ, Boland TM, Morrison SJ, Aubry A, Yan T, McHugh N. Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from sheep measured using both respiration and portable accumulation chambers. Animal 2024; 18:101140. [PMID: 38626708 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Methane (CH4) is a potent gas produced by ruminants, and new measurement techniques are required to generate large datasets suitable for genetic analysis. One such technique are portable accumulation chambers (PAC), a short-term sampling method. The objectives of the current study were to explore the relationship between CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2) output measured using both PAC and respiration chambers (RC) in growing lambs, and separately investigate the relationship among CH4, CO2 and measured ad libitum DM intake (DMI). Methane, CO2 and DMI were measured on 30 Suffolk and 30 Texel ewe lambs (age 253 ± 12 days) using the RC and PAC sequentially. The experiment was conducted over a 14-day period, with DMI measured from days 1 to 14; measurements in RC were conducted from days 10 to 12, while measurements in PAC were taken twice, the day immediately prior to the lambs entering the RC (day 9; PAC Pre-RC) and on the day lambs exited the RC (day 13; PAC Post-RC). Greater CH4 and CO2 output was measured in the RC than in the PAC (P < 0.01); similarly mean CH4 yield was greater when measured in the RC (15.39 ± 0.452 g CH4/kg DMI) compared to PAC (8.01 ± 0.767 g CH4/kg DMI). A moderate correlation of 0.37 was found between CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC and the RC, the corresponding regression coefficient of CH4 output measured in the RC regressed on CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC was close to unity (0.74; SE 0.224). The variance of CH4 and CO2 output within the measurement technique did not differ from each other (P > 0.05). Moderate to strong correlations were found between CH4 and CO2 per kg of live weight and CH4 and CO2 yield. Results from this study highlight the suitability of PAC as a ranking tool to rank animals based on their gaseous output when compared to the RC. However, repeated measurements separated by several days may be beneficial if precise rankings are required. Given the close to unity regression coefficient of CH4 output measured in the RC regressed on CH4 output measured in PAC Pre-RC suggests that PAC could also be potentially used to estimate absolute CH4 output; however, further research is required to substantiate this claim. When DMI is unknown, CH4 and CO2 per kg of live weight are a suitable alternative to the measurement of CH4 and CO2 yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- E O' Connor
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway H65 R718, Ireland; School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - F M McGovern
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway H65 R718, Ireland
| | - D P Berry
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 P302, Ireland
| | - E Dunne
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, Co. Galway H65 R718, Ireland
| | - J C McEwan
- AgResearch Ltd, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel 9053, New Zealand
| | - S J Rowe
- AgResearch Ltd, Invermay Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel 9053, New Zealand
| | - T M Boland
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - S J Morrison
- Agri-Food and Bioscience (AFBI), Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
| | - A Aubry
- Agri-Food and Bioscience (AFBI), Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
| | - T Yan
- Agri-Food and Bioscience (AFBI), Hillsborough, Co. Down BT26 6DR, UK
| | - N McHugh
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Co. Cork P61 P302, Ireland.
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Connor EO, McHugh N, Dunne E, Boland TM, Walsh H, Galvin N, McGovern FM. Methane output across life stages in sheep, how it differs from lambs to adult ewes using portable accumulation chambers. J Anim Sci 2024; 102:skae127. [PMID: 38716561 PMCID: PMC11107117 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skae127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Methane (CH4) produced from enteric fermentation is a potent greenhouse gas produced by ruminant animals. Multiple measurements are required across life stages to develop an understanding of how CH4 output changes throughout the animal's lifetime. The objectives of the current study were to estimate CH4 output across life stages in sheep and to investigate the relationship between CH4 output and dry matter (DM) intake (DMI). Data were generated on a total of 266 female Suffolk and Texel animals. Methane and carbon dioxide (CO2) output, estimated using portable accumulation chambers, and DMI, estimated using the n-alkane technique outdoors and using individual penning indoors, were quantified across the animal's life stage; as lambs (<12 mo), nulliparous hoggets (12 to 24 mo) and ewes (primiparous or greater; > 24 mo). Ewes were further classified as pregnant, lactating, and dry (non-pregnant and non-lactating). Multiple measurements were taken within and across the life stages of the same animals. A linear mixed model was used to determine if CH4 and CO2 output differed across life stages and using a separate linear mixed model the factors associated with CH4 output within each life stage were also investigated. Methane, CO2 output, and DMI differed by life stage (P < 0.05), with lactating ewes producing the greatest amount of CH4 (25.99 g CH4/d) and CO2 (1711.6 g CO2/d), while also having the highest DMI (2.18 kg DM/d). Methane output differed by live-weight of the animals across all life stages (P < 0.001). As ewe body condition score increased CH4 output declined (P < 0.05). Correlations between CH4 output measured across life stages ranged from 0.26 (SE 0.08; lambs and lactating ewes) to 0.59 (SE 0.06; hoggets and pregnant ewes), while correlations between CO2 output measured across life stages ranged from 0.12 (SE 0.06; lambs and hoggets) to 0.65 (SE 0.06; hoggets and lactating ewes). DMI was moderately correlated with CH4 (0.44; SE 0.04) and CO2 output (0.59; SE 0.03). Results from this study provide estimates of CH4 output across life stages in a pasture-based sheep production system and offer valuable information for the national inventory and the marginal abatement cost curve on the optimum time to target mitigation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edel O' Connor
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, H65 R718, Ireland
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Nóirín McHugh
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, P61 P302, Ireland
| | - Eoin Dunne
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, H65 R718, Ireland
| | - Tommy M Boland
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, D04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Henry Walsh
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, H65 R718, Ireland
| | - Norann Galvin
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, P61 P302, Ireland
| | - Fiona M McGovern
- Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Athenry, H65 R718, Ireland
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Dry Matter Intake Prediction from Milk Spectra in Sarda Dairy Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040763. [PMID: 36830549 PMCID: PMC9952237 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual dry matter intake (DMI) is a relevant factor for evaluating feed efficiency in livestock. However, the measurement of this trait on a large scale is difficult and expensive. DMI, as well as other phenotypes, can be predicted from milk spectra. The aim of this work was to predict DMI from the milk spectra of 24 lactating Sarda dairy sheep ewes. Three models (Principal Component Regression, Partial Least Squares Regression, and Stepwise Regression) were iteratively applied to three validation schemes: records, ewes, and days. DMI was moderately correlated with the wavenumbers of the milk spectra: the largest correlations (around ±0.30) were observed at ~1100-1330 cm-1 and ~2800-3000 cm-1. The average correlations between real and predicted DMI were 0.33 (validation on records), 0.32 (validation on ewes), and 0.23 (validation on days). The results of this preliminary study, even if based on a small number of animals, demonstrate that DMI can be routinely estimated from the milk spectra.
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Sepulveda BJ, Muir SK, Bolormaa S, Knight MI, Behrendt R, MacLeod IM, Pryce JE, Daetwyler HD. Eating Time as a Genetic Indicator of Methane Emissions and Feed Efficiency in Australian Maternal Composite Sheep. Front Genet 2022; 13:883520. [PMID: 35646089 PMCID: PMC9130857 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.883520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have shown reduced enteric methane emissions (ME) and residual feed intake (RFI) through the application of genomic selection in ruminants. The objective of this study was to evaluate feeding behaviour traits as genetic indicators for ME and RFI in Australian Maternal Composite ewes using data from an automated feed intake facility. The feeding behaviour traits evaluated were the amount of time spent eating per day (eating time; ETD; min/day) and per visit (eating time per event; ETE; min/event), daily number of events (DNE), event feed intake (EFI; g/event) and eating rate (ER; g/min). Genotypes and phenotypes of 445 ewes at three different ages (post-weaning, hogget, and adult) were used to estimate the heritability of ME, RFI, and the feeding behaviour traits using univariate genomic best linear unbiased prediction models. Multivariate models were used to estimate the correlations between these traits and within each trait at different ages. The response to selection was evaluated for ME and RFI with direct selection models and indirect models with ETE as an indicator trait, as this behaviour trait was a promising indicator based on heritability and genetic correlations. Heritabilities were between 0.12 and 0.18 for ME and RFI, and between 0.29 and 0.47 for the eating behaviour traits. In our data, selecting for more efficient animals (low RFI) would lead to higher methane emissions per day and per kg of dry matter intake. Selecting for more ETE also improves feed efficiency but results in more methane per day and per kg dry matter intake. Based on our results, ETE could be evaluated as an indicator trait for ME and RFI under an index approach that allows simultaneous selection for improvement in emissions and feed efficiency. Selecting for ETE may have a tremendous impact on the industry, as it may be easier and cheaper to obtain than feed intake and ME data. As the data were collected using individual feeding units, the findings on this research should be validated under grazing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris J Sepulveda
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Sunduimijid Bolormaa
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | | | - Ralph Behrendt
- Agriculture Victoria, Hamilton Centre, Hamilton, VIC, Australia
| | - Iona M MacLeod
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Jennie E Pryce
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Hans D Daetwyler
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.,School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Fetherstone N, McGovern F, Boland T, McHugh N. How does maternal genetic merit and country of origin impact lamb performance pre- and post-weaning? Small Rumin Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2022.106642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Muir SK, Behrendt R, Moniruzzaman M, Kearney G, Knight MI. Automated feeding of sheep. 2. Feeding behaviour influences the methane emissions of sheep offered restricted diets. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/an20634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Context
During the non-growing season of pastures and during droughts, the dry-matter intake (DMI) of sheep is often constrained due to low pasture availability and the need to feed for weight loss or maintenance. Below-maintenance feeding may have consequences for methane (CH4) production and yield in farm systems.
Aims
The effect of six restricted feeding levels on CH4 emissions measured using portable accumulation chambers (PACs) was examined in relation to DMI, oxygen consumption (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and observed changes in feeding behaviour in sheep fed with automated feeders.
Methods
An automated feeding system was used to apply daily feeding levels to Maternal Composite ewes (n=126). Sheep were adapted to the automated feeding system over 19days, with unlimited access to feed. Following adaptation, sheep were allocated to restricted daily feed levels at 40%, 80%, 100%, 140% and 180% of estimated maintenance requirements (MR) for 41days. Methane, CO2 and O2 emissions from ewes were measured using PACs on Days 30 and 31 of the restricted feeding period.
Key results
Methane production (g/day) increased (P<0.001) with the level of feeding. However, time since the last meal decreased with the level of feeding and was associated with CH4 production. Sheep on lower levels of feeding tended to consume meals earlier in the day and had longer times since their last meal at PAC measurement and lower CH4 production. These two factors explained 58.7% of the variance in CH4 production in an additive linear model. Methane yield (gCH4/kg DMI) decreased as the level of feeding was increased.
Conclusions
Methane emissions were affected not only by daily DMI, but also time since the last meal. An understanding of the effect of feeding behaviour and time since the last meal should be incorporated into feeding protocols prior to CH4 measurements when PACs are being used to measure CH4 emissions from sheep fed restricted diets.
Implications
Utilising automated feeders may improve the accuracy of PAC measurements of sheep CH4 emissions fed both ad libitum and restricted feed amounts, by increasing understanding of DMI and feeding behaviour.
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