What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether improved forage quality characteristics consistently reduce enteric methane yield across lactating dairy cattle, other cattle, and sheep.

July 1, 2026animalOpen Access

Forage characteristics as drivers of variation in enteric methane emission in cattle and sheep: a meta-analysis

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Authors

SGS. van GastelenWageningen University & Research ABA. BanninkWageningen University & Research CBC. BenchaarAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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Overview

Meta-analysis demonstrates that improved forage quality reduces digestible enteric methane emissions in cattle and sheep, suggesting species-specific divergence in dry matter methane yields.

Key Points

To determine whether improved forage quality characteristics consistently reduce enteric methane yield across lactating dairy cattle, other cattle, and sheep.
Conducted a meta-analysis synthesizing data from 24 studies representing 109 treatment means across lactating dairy cows, other cattle, and sheep.
Used mixed-model univariate regression to evaluate relationships between methane yields (CH4/DMI and CH4/DOMI) and forage characteristics, including apparent total tract organic matter digestibility (ATTDOM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and crude protein (CP).
For CH4 per dry matter intake (CH4/DMI), higher ATTDOM (R² = 0.35, slope = -0.146) and CP (R² = 0.65, slope = -0.021) reduced emissions while NDF increased emissions (R² = 0.68, slope = 0.014) in lactating dairy cattle; in other cattle, only CP was related (R² = 0.18, slope = -0.008), whereas sheep showed unexpected positive relationships with ATTDOM (R² = 0.39, slope = 0.064) and negative with NDF (R² = 0.46, slope = -0.007).
For CH4 per digestible organic matter intake (CH4/DOMI), improved forage quality (increased ATTDOM and CP, decreased NDF) significantly and consistently reduced methane yields across all three ruminant classes.

Cite This Study

Gastelen et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a79ef4c1a7b6c10bc0da4d3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2026.101910

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July 1, 2026animalOpen Access

Forage characteristics as drivers of variation in enteric methane emission in cattle and sheep: a meta-analysis

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

SGS. van GastelenWageningen University & Research ABA. BanninkWageningen University & Research CBC. BenchaarAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Meta-analysis demonstrates that improved forage quality reduces digestible enteric methane emissions in cattle and sheep, suggesting species-specific divergence in dry matter methane yields.

Key Points

To determine whether improved forage quality characteristics consistently reduce enteric methane yield across lactating dairy cattle, other cattle, and sheep.
Conducted a meta-analysis synthesizing data from 24 studies representing 109 treatment means across lactating dairy cows, other cattle, and sheep.
Used mixed-model univariate regression to evaluate relationships between methane yields (CH4/DMI and CH4/DOMI) and forage characteristics, including apparent total tract organic matter digestibility (ATTDOM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and crude protein (CP).
For CH4 per dry matter intake (CH4/DMI), higher ATTDOM (R² = 0.35, slope = -0.146) and CP (R² = 0.65, slope = -0.021) reduced emissions while NDF increased emissions (R² = 0.68, slope = 0.014) in lactating dairy cattle; in other cattle, only CP was related (R² = 0.18, slope = -0.008), whereas sheep showed unexpected positive relationships with ATTDOM (R² = 0.39, slope = 0.064) and negative with NDF (R² = 0.46, slope = -0.007).
For CH4 per digestible organic matter intake (CH4/DOMI), improved forage quality (increased ATTDOM and CP, decreased NDF) significantly and consistently reduced methane yields across all three ruminant classes.

Cite This Study

Gastelen et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a79ef4c1a7b6c10bc0da4d3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2026.101910

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