Feeding pattern of dairy animals and enteric methane emission: a study of commercial dairy farms of Haryana

Abstract

This survey was planned to know the existing feeding pattern and estimate methane emission from the dairy animals of commercial dairy farms of Haryana, India. Structured interview schedule was used to know the feeding pattern of animals and Tier II approach of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was followed to estimate the methane emission from enteric fermentation of the animals. The study revealed that some good quality green fodders like berseem, maize, sorghum etc and dry fodder like paddy and wheat straw were the base of feeding patterns of the dairy animals. Estimated methane emission based on feeding pattern was high in buffalo (98.49 kg methane/animal/year) and crossbred cattle (89.61 kg methane/ animal/ year) as compared to indigenous lactating cattle (81.42 kg methane/ animal/ year). This study recommended that livestock research and extension linkage should focus on quality fodder management. There is also need to make farmers more aware about the use of quality feed and fodder for the dairy animals.