Implementation of the Sulfur Hexafluoride Technique in Costa Rica to Quantify Enteric Methane in Cattle
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15359/rca.50-2.5Keywords:
Grazing, livestock, methane emission, SF6, tropical grasses.Abstract
In order to implement, for the first time in Costa Rica, the sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) tracer technique to determine the enteric methane (CH4)released by cattle consuming tropical forages, this study was carried out at the Universidad Tecnica Nacional, Atenas, from May to July 2013. This technique allows capturing and storing a sample of methane in a device placed over the animal. The implementation was done in two phases: confinement and grazing. In both phases, Jersey heifers were used. They were subjected to an adaptation phase prior to the collection of gas samples. Confinement diet consisted of transvala silopaca (Digitaria decumbens) and Brachiaria brizantha. In the second phase B. decumbens was grazed. The three species had 35 days of regrowth without fertilization. The daily emission of methane per heifer in confinement was 147±7 g, and 17.3±1.1 g kg-1 DM consumed. During the grazing phase, heifers released 141±16 g of CH4 d-1, and 16.1±1.1 g of CH4 kg-1 DM of consumed grass was estimated. The emission factor (Ym: 4.9 ± 0.3%) for the grazing phase was lower than that suggested by IPCC. It is concluded that this technique is suitable for use under similar conditions to those used in this research, and with the calculation of Ym it is possible to estimate with low uncertainty, the emission of enteric methane in cattle that should be used in the National Inventories Greenhouse Gases for the livestock sector in Costa Rica.
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