Ration balancing: A practical approach for reducing methanogenesis in tropical feeding systems

Abstract

Imbalanced feeding is widely prevalent in the smallholder dairy systems of tropical countries. Dairy animals fed on imbalanced rations not only produce less milk at a higher cost but also produce more methane per unit of milk production. As imbalanced feeding adversely impacts livestock productivity, health and the environment, it is a need of the hour to implement a practical and cost-effective approach for improving productivity and reducing methanogenesis in tropical ruminants. Changing plane of nutrition through balanced feeding has improved feed conversion efficiency, milk production and microbial protein synthesis and reduced methane emissions in cows and buffaloes, under field conditions. Balanced feeding might have resulted in a shift in volatile fatty acid pattern towards more propionate and less acetate, resulting in lower methane production. Thus, ration balancing could be a practical approach for reducing methanogenesis in tropical feeding systems.