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Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Livestock and Soils |
Four (04) male local yellow cattle with mean initial body weight of 121kg were used in a Latin Square Design (4 x 4). The treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial, in which factors were: (1) Source of non-protein nitrogen: Ca Nitrate versus Urea; and (2) Additional S: With additional S (at 0.6% S in dry matter) versus without additional S. The animals were fed ad libitum (equal to 110% of intake of previuos week) total mixed ration (TMR) including 22% NaOH treated rice straw, 20% molasses, 24% dried cassava leaves, 28% cassava root meal and 6% king grass. Levels of Ca Nitrate and urea were adjusted to vive a level equivalents to 12% crude protein in dry matter of TMR. Sodium sulphate was added to give 0.6% S in the TMR. The experimental time was 18 days with 14 days of adaptation and a-4days for data collection. The CH4/ CO2 ratio was measured at 2 hr interval over 24 hr on the 4th day of every data collection period using GASMET portable equipment.
Nitrate reduced the Methane:carbon dioxide ratio (0.034 versus 0.039) while additional S had no effect (0.035 versus 0.038). There was no interaction between source of non-protein nitrogen and S addition on methane emission in yellow cattle.