Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: This project has served to train a student for partial fulfillment of the rquirements for a doctoral degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The student's research project will serve to advance knoweldge in reducing the loss of biologically active nitrogen and the loss of methane that are inherent to dairy production systems. The scientific community, the dairy industry and students in animal and dairy sciences major around the country are the primary target audiences. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Claudia attended the 2013 Greenhouse gases and Animal Agriculture (GGAA) that was held at Dublin, Ireland June 23-26, 2013, where she presented an short communication. She also participated in the graduate student oral presentation contest (in the doctoral student category) at the 2013 Joint Animal meeting of the American Dairy Sciences Association (ADSA) and the American Society of Animal Sciences (ASAS) that was held in Indianapolis, In, July 8-11, 2013. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results of Claudia's research has been shared in the form of abstracts, short communications and oral presentations in scientific conference in the United States and in Ireland. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
In 2013, Claudia Arndt focused on writting her doctoral thesis, which included three chapters describing original researh intended for publication in peer-reviewed journal in 2014. Her research contributed to a better understanding of dietary factors that affect methane emission and N excretions in dairy cattle.
Publications
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Arndt, C. 2014. Efficiencies of Energy and Nitrogen Utilization in Dairy Cattle, with emphasis on sources of variation in methane emission and Urine Urea N excretion. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Arndt, C., M. J. Powell and M. A. Wattiaux. 2014. Effects of varying dietary ratios of alfalfa silage to corn silage on lactating dairy cow performance, methane emission and manure N excretion (in preparation).
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
C. Arndt, M. A. Wattiaux, J. M. Powell, M. J. Aguerre, and P. M. Crump. 2014. A preliminary study of methane emission and nitrogen conversion in high and low gross feed efficient dairy cows (in preparation)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
C. Arndt, M. A. Wattiaux, J. M. Powell, and M. J. Aguerre, P. Weimer, and P. S Crump. Energy and Nitrogen metabolism between high and low producing gross efficient cows (in preparation)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Arndt, C., M. A. Wattiaux, J. M. Powell, and M. J. Aguerre. 2013. High feed efficiency for milk is associated with high feed nitrogen efficiency in dairy cows. J Anim. Sci. Vol 91, E-Suppl. 2 / J. Dairy Sci. Vol 96, E-Suppl. 1:133.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Arndt, C., M. J. Powell, Aguerre, M. J. and M. A. Wattiaux. 2013. High partial feed conversion efficiency appears to be a persistent trait associated with reduction in selected measures of methane emissions in dairy cattle. Advances in Animal Biosciences 4(2):100
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Aguerre, M. J., M. J. Powell, C. Arndt and M. A. Wattiaux. 2013. Exploring relationships among selected animal performance measurements, methane emission, and ammonia emission Advances in Animal Biosciences 4(2):535.
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Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2012, work was done on two trials. First, we continued our efforts on an experiment designed as a pre-trial and conducted in fall 2010: Impact of measurement chamber and feed conversion efficiency of lactating dairy cows on gaseous emission and nitrogen utilization. The data were analyzed, summarized, and a manuscript was submitted to Journal of Dairy Science. The manuscript is on the validation of measurements of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and ammonia emissions obtained when accommodating one cow in measurement chambers initially designed for four cows. Its results suggested that cows efficient at converting feed to milk also have a higher conversion of dietary nitrogen to milk nitrogen and lower greenhouse gas emission per day, per unit of milk, and per unit of milk energy. Second, we continued our effort on the experiment entitled: The effect of feed efficiency on CH4 emission, feed digestibility, and rumen parameters. The data were analyzed and summarized. In addition, DNA from rumen samples was isolated to conduct further analyses. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals included Dr. Michel A. Wattiaux (Principal investigator), graduate student Claudia Arndt (Research Assistant), and postdoc scientist Dr. Matias J. Aguerre. Partner Organization included in the projects described above included Dr. J. Mark Powell, Dr. Mary Beth Hall, and Dr. Paul J. Weimer, all at the USDA, ARS, US. Dairy Forage Research Center (Madison, WI). Dr. Powell provided access to experimental animals, gas emission chamber, and measuring equipment for the first and second trial. Dr. Mary Beth provided the equipment necessary to measure rumen pH around the clock and Dr. Paul Weimer provided assistance and collaboration in DNA isolation for the second trial. TARGET AUDIENCES: The results of this research will be of interest to scientists involved in climate change and dairy consultants. Students (graduate and undergraduates in dairy science) and dairy producers will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the new knowledge generated by this research project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
In 2012, Claudia Arndt was actively engaged in the projects described above. Claudia is the research assistant, who is responsible for project completion in partial fulfillment of a Ph.D. degree. She analyzed and summarized the data of the two trials described above and submitted the manuscript for the first trial described. In addition, Claudia worked as a teaching assistant during the spring semester. During the fall semester, Claudia isolated the DNA and completed her preliminary exam.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During 2011, work was done on three trials.First, we continued our efforts on an experiment designed as a pre-trial and conducted in fall 2010: "variance within and between individual cows in gas emission environmental chambers." The data were analyzed, summarized and presented as an abstract at a conference. Results from this pre-trial were used to improve the quality of the design of the second experiment described next. Second, we conducted a trial titled: "the effect of feed efficiency on CH4 emission, feed digestibility, and rumen parameters" from the 22nd of February through the 20th of May 2011. The experiment used a randomized complete block design with four blocks of four cows. Each block consisted of two high and two low efficient cows. Cows were selected by their previously measured ratios of milk yield to feed intake. Methane emission of each cow was measured in a 4-day period in one of the four chambers (constructed as an airflow-controlled modified tie-stall barn). Total fecal and urine collection was performed during three days of chamber measurements. In addition, continuous rumen pH measurements and volatile fatty acid and rumen microbial samples were collected from a block of four rumen cannulated cows. Performance data (feed intake, milk production, milk composition, and change in body weight) were collected for all cows daily during emission measurements and twice a week during the duration of the experiment. During the summer and fall of 2011 the following laboratory analysis were conducted: dry matter, ash, and neutral detergent fiber. Third, we published a manuscript reporting results of a trial designed to determine the effect of feeding diets with different forage-to-concentrate ratios (F:C) on performance and emission of CH4, CO2 and manure NH3-N. Eighteen cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 airflow-controlled chambers (see above). Chambers were assigned to dietary treatment sequences in a single 4 by 4 Latin square design. Dietary treatments, fed as 16.2 percent crude protein total mixed rations included the following F:C ratio: 47:53, 54:46, 61:39, and 68:32 [diet dry matter (DM) basis]. Increasing the F:C ratio increased ruminal pH linearly and affected concentrations of butyrate and isovalerate quadratically. Increasing the F:C ratio from 47:53 to 68:32 increased CH4 emission from 538 to 648 g/cow per day, but had no effect on manure NH3-N emission (14.1 g/cow per day) and CO2 emission (18,325 g/cow per day). In this trial, CH4 emission remained constant per unit of neutral detergent fiber intake (1 g of CH4 was emitted for every 10.3 g of neutral detergent fiber consumed by the cow), but increased from 14.4 to 18.0 g/kg of ECM when the percentage of forage in the diet increased from 47 to 68%. Although the pattern of emission within a day was distinct for each gas, emissions were higher between morning feeding (0930 h) and afternoon milking (1600 h) than later in the day. Altering the level of forage within a practical range and rebalancing dietary crude protein with common feeds of the Midwest of the United States had no effects on manure NH3-N emission but altered CH4 emission. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals included Dr. Michel A. Wattiaux (Principal investigator) and graduate student Claudia Arndt (Research Assistant) Partner Organization included in the first and second project described above included Dr. Mark Powell and Dr. Mary Beth Hall, both at the USDA, ARS, US. Dairy Forage Research Center (Madison, WI). Dr. Powell provided access to experimental animals, gas emission chamber and measuring equipment, whereas Mary Beth Hall provides the equipment necessary to measure rumen pH around the clock. TARGET AUDIENCES: The results of this research will be of interest to scientists involved in climate change and dairy consultants. Students (graduate and undergraduates in dairy science) and dairy producers will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the new knowledge generated by this research project. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
In 2011, one Claudia Arndt was actively engaged in the projects described above. Claudia is the research assistant, who is responsible for project completion in partial fulfillment of a Ph.D. degree. She analyzed and summarized the data of the first two trial described above. In addition, Claudia presented one abstract at the national meeting of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) and American Society of Animal Sciences (ASAS) that was held in New Orleans in July. In the second project, two individuals were actively engaged: Claudia Arndt, our graduate student and Robbin Smith a laboratory technician, who was responsible for the upkeep and quality control of the sensitive equipment used in these trials. Claudia was involved in designing the experiment, writing the protocol necessary for animal use protocol according to ethical standards, writing the cow request, being available during the trial for unforeseen events, sampling, analyzing and processing data. Both Claudia and Robbin collected fecal and urine samples during the experiment.
Publications
- Aguerre, M. J., M. A. Wattiaux J. M. Powell, G. Broderick, and C. Arndt. 2011. Effect of forage to concentrate ratio in dairy cow diets on emission of methane, carbon dioxide and ammonia, lactation performance and manure excretion. J. Dairy Sci. 94:3081-3093.
- Arndt, C., M. A. Wattiaux, J. M. Powell, and M. J. Aguerre. 2011. Effect of air-flow controlled chambers and cows of contrasting feed efficiency on methane emission. J. Anim. Sci. 89:65 (E-Suppl. 1) / J. Dairy Sci. 94:65 (E-Suppl. 1).
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