Methane Production, Diet Digestibility, and VFA Profile of Growing Steers Fed High or Low Quality Forage

Authors

A. C. Pesta, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
M. L. Jolly- Breithaupt, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Samodha C. Fernando Fernando, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Paul J. Kononoff, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Galen E. Erickson, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2016

Citation

2016 Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports

Comments

© The Board Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved.

Abstract

A headbox calorimeter study evaluated the impacts of forage quality on methane production, diet digestibility, and VFA profile of growing steers. Daily production of methane and carbon dioxide were greater for steers fed high- quality compared to low- quality forages. Th ere was no difference in DM or OM digestibility, likely due to dramatic intake differences, and no difference in the amount of methane produced per unit of OM digested. Methane emissions data from this study agree reasonably well with those obtained by alternate methods previously utilized by this group.