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https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14642
Title: | Low-methane yield sheep have smaller rumens and shorter rumen retention time | Contributor(s): | Goopy, John P (author); Donaldson, Alastair (author); Hegarty, Roger (author); Vercoe, Phillip E (author); Haynes, Fay Emma Milton (author); Barnett, Mark (author)![]() ![]() |
Publication Date: | 2014 | Open Access: | Yes | DOI: | 10.1017/S0007114513002936![]() |
Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14642 | Abstract: | In the present study, following the measurement of methane emissions from 160 mature ewes three times, a subset of twenty ewes was selected for further emission and physiological studies. Ewes were selected on the basis of methane yield (MY: g CH₄/kg DM intake) being low (Low MY: >1 sd below the mean; n 10) or high (High MY: >1 sd above the mean; n 10) when fed a blended chaff ration at a fixed feeding level (1·2-fold maintenance energy requirements). The difference between the Low- and High-MY groups observed at the time of selection was maintained (P= 0·001) when remeasured 1-7 months later during digesta kinetics studies. Low MY was associated with a shorter mean retention time of particulate (P< 0·01) and liquid (P< 0·001) digesta, less amounts of rumen particulate contents (P< 0·01) and a smaller rumen volume (P< 0·05), but not apparent DM digestibility (P= 0.27) or urinary allantoin excretion (P= 0·89). Computer tomography scanning of the sheep's rumens after an overnight fast revealed a trend towards the Low-MY sheep having more clearly demarcated rumen gas and liquid phases (P= 0·10). These findings indicate that the selection of ruminants for low MY may have important consequences for an animal's nutritional physiology. | Publication Type: | Journal Article | Source of Publication: | British Journal of Nutrition, 111(4), p. 578-585 | Publisher: | Cambridge University Press | Place of Publication: | United Kingdom | ISSN: | 1475-2662 0007-1145 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: | 070299 Animal Production not elsewhere classified | Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 300399 Animal production not elsewhere classified | Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: | 839802 Management of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Animal Production | Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: | 190302 Management of greenhouse gas emissions from animal production | Peer Reviewed: | Yes | HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
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Appears in Collections: | Journal Article |
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