Mitigating methane production from ruminants; effect of supplementary sulphate and nitrate on methane production in an in vitro incubation using sugar cane stalk and cassava leaf meal as substrate

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing urea by calcium nitrate with or without supplementary sulfur (0, 0.4, 0.8% on DM basis) on methane production in an in vitro incubation medium inoculated with rumen fluid and using sugar cane stalk and cassava leaf meal as substrate. The design was a 3*2 factorial arrangement of the treatments with 4 replications. Compared with urea, calcium nitrate reduced methane production The effect was consistent over successive periods in the 48h incubation. Adding 0.4% sulfur, in the form of sodium sulphate, increased methane production, while 0.8% sulphur reduced methane production. When 0.8% sulfur was combined with nitrate the effects on methane reduction were additive. Methane production increased linearly with the length of the incubation on all treatments.