Researchers of the University of Florida They are testing a new type of livestock food that could help Dairy cows to release less methane gas due to scholarships and flatulenceand to use nutrients more efficiently. Since methane retains heat in the atmosphere, the reduction of these emissions could cause milk livestock to be more respectful of the environment and sustainable.
Researchers led by Antonio Faciola They analyzed a possible supplementary food for dairy cattle based on flaxseed protein and pea. The study was published in the magazine Journal of Dairy Science.
Cattle and methane generation: new foods
Methane, a powerful greenhouse gasit is naturally emitted by cows during digestion, and are important sources of methane worldwide, especially through their eruptions. When cows stomach produces methane, they lose valuable energy that, otherwise, could be used to produce milk or meat. By feeding them in a way that reduces methane production, researchers could help cows produce more milk and, at the same time, achieve climatic objectives.
“It is a situation in which everyone wins. Every time we reduce methane, we keep that energy in the body of the cow“said Faciola, associate professor of the UF Animal Department.
The Assistant Research Professor at the University of Alask James VinyardIt was fundamental for the study, he said. Vinyard simulated the digestion of dairy cattle In the laboratory to determine the amount of methane produced and examine the possibilities of improving such fermentation by adding a supplementary food.
The researchers They added the flaxseed and pea protein supplement to the rumen of dairy cattle In a laboratory and measured how fermentation changed. The supplement, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and proteins, reduced methane production and improved digestion in general, he said.
-“This supplement has multiple potential benefits “said Faciola.”Not only could methane emissions reduce, but it could also increase energy availability for cows, which could result in greater milk production“.
Future studies will include supplement to dairy cows to see if laboratory results coincide with what happens in the field.
As food security is becoming an increasingly important concern, it emphasized the importance of feeding cows more efficiently to meet the growing world demands.
“We will need cows to produce more milk with the same amount of food“, said. “We have to be more efficient to feed more people“.
Reference
J.R. Vinyard et al, Effects of a flaxseed and pea matrix on in vitro ruminal fermentation, nutrient degradability, and methane emissions, Journal of Dairy Science (2025). DOI: 10.3168/jds.2024-25770
This entry was published in News on 23 APR 2025 by Francisco Martín León
