Experimental study on the factors affecting methane emission of beef cattle

To investigate the effects of roughage type, the ratio of concentrate to roughage and energy intake level on amount of methane emission, four beef cattle were subjected to different roughages, ratios of concentrate to roughage in diet and energy intake level, SF₆ tracer method was used to determine methane emission from cattle. Research results show that methane emission from beef cattle could be determined quickly by SF₆ tracer method, methane emission effect factors were as follows: roughage type>ratio of concentrate to roughage in diet>energy intake level; methane emission value was smaller when beef cattle were subjected to silage corn and alfalfa than that of dry corn stover and rice straw; the more roughage in diet, the more methane emission; and with the increase of energy intake, methane emission value increased.