[en] Context: Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a leguminous shrub adapted to higher rainfall (>600 mm) in frost-free areas of Australia. It can be a source of high-quality forage for cattle grazing tropical grass-based pastures that are seasonally deficient in the nitrogen content required for adequate levels of performance. Leucaena contains bioactive compounds that may reduce methanogenesis in the rumen, helping to achieve Australia's goal to make red meat production carbon neutral by 2030. Aim: A study was undertaken to evaluate the response in animal performance and methane production to increasing percentages of leucaena in a hay-based diet. Methods: Growing steers were fed diets containing 0%, 18%, 36% and 48% leucaena. Intake, liveweight gain, methane production and yield were measured in a cross-over trial with two modern cultivars of leucaena (Redlands and Wondergraze). Methane was measured in open-circuit respiration chambers. Key results: There were no effects of cultivar on most parameters. Increasing leucaena percentage in the diet increased dry matter intake, animal performance and methane production (g/day) but reduced methane yield (g/kg dry matter intake) according to the equation: methane yield = 19.8-0.09 × leucaena percentage in the diet. The inclusion of polyethylene glycol to nullify potential antimethanogenic activity of tannins restored methane yield by 67%, indicating that tannins were responsible for most of the observed reduction in methane yield. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that leucaena can improve animal performance and reduce methane yield in steers fed low-quality grasses. Implications: Leucaena can be included in diets of grazing cattle in areas agronomically suited to its production, as a means to reduce enteric methane emissions.
Disciplines :
Food science Agriculture & agronomy
Author, co-author :
Stifkens, Antoine ; Université de Liège - ULiège ; Csiro Agriculture And Food, Townsville, Australia
Matthews, E.M.; Csiro Agriculture And Food, Townsville, Australia
McSweeney, C.S.; Csiro Agriculture And Food, St Lucia, Australia
Charmley, E. ; Csiro Agriculture And Food, Townsville, Australia
Language :
English
Title :
Increasing the proportion of Leucaena leucocephala in hay-fed beef steers reduces methane yield
Publication date :
April 2022
Journal title :
Animal Production Science
ISSN :
1836-0939
eISSN :
1836-5787
Publisher :
CSIRO
Volume :
62
Issue :
7
Pages :
622 - 632
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funding text :
Declaration of funding. Funding for this research was provide through the Meat & Livestock Australia contract B.GBP.0026. Antoine Stifkens received support through the University of Liège student internship program.
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