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This study was carried out to evaluate the use of tannin extract from Acacia mearnsii as a strategy to reduce methane (CH

Co-digestion trials of beef cattle manure and waste kitchen oil (WKO) were conducted to evaluate potential increase of biogas production for a local beef farm anaerobic digester. The trials were conducted using laboratory-scale, semi-continuously loaded digesters under mesophilic conditions, with 21-day hydraulic retention time (HRT). In a preliminary test, WKO was added at 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% by volume, each with replicate digesters (n=2), except for the 0% level, which had one digester (n=1). Methane (CH4) yield per week increased linearly with WKO levels. Populations of bacteriodetes decreased, while clostridiales and synergistales increased with the WKO levels. A second test was conducted using treatments with more replication: control (n=3), and 1.0% (n=3) and 2% (n=3) WKO levels. Methane yields of the 1.0% and 2.0% WKO levels were 79.1% and 203% higher than the control, respectively. Addition of WKO have resulted in changes of the metagenomics of the digesters. Populations of clostridiales increased, while bacteroidales and euryarchaeota methanomicrobia YC-E6 decreased with the WKO levels. The findings confirm adding low amounts (1% and 2%) of WKO as co-digestion feedstock can be an effective way to increase CH4 yield for beef operation anaerobic digestion, especially when there are available feedstock nearby. Keywords: Anaerobic digestion, Biogas, Methane, Semi-continuous digesters.

High lipid concentration in ruminant diets often harms nutrient digestibility and feed intake; thus, a protected lipid and antioxidant source can be considered as an alternative for improving diet energy without putting animal production at a disadvantage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dry matter intake (DMI), nutrient digestibility and feeding behavior of cattle fed cottonseed and vitamin E. Six cannulated cows, non-pregnant, non-lactating were distributed in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin Square design. Feed was offered ad libitum twice daily. Treatments were: 1) Control, 2) CS: 30 % cottonseed included; and 3) CSVitE: 30 % cottonseed plus 500 IU VitE included. Data were analyzed by SAS (Statistical Analysis System, v.9.3) and the significance was declared at p < 0.05. Diets with cottonseed had 22 % greater digestibility of ether extract and 9 % lower digestibility of non-fiber-carbohydrates compared to the control. Treatments with cottonseed had 13 % higher time eating, 48 % more ruminating, 34 % more chewing and 17 % lower time idling compared to the control. Molar proportion of propionate was 36 % higher and the butyrate and acetate:propionate ratio were 27 % and 30 % lower, respectively, for the cottonseed treatments compared to the control. Including cottonseed up to 30 % can be used to increase diet energy density leading to improvements in feeding behavior and ruminal parameters. The inclusion of Vitamin E did not result in benefits to cattle when it was combined with cottonseed. Further studies should be undertaken to evaluate vitamin E levels in association with different amounts and lipid sources.

Problems about greenhouse gas emissions attributed to cattle production and improvements in the productivity of these animals has been growing and becoming increasingly important. Cattle releases methane as part of their digestive process, and this represents loss of energy for the animal. The decomposition of feces releases methane and it can be recovered by digester and transformed into different types of energy. Thus, aiming to quantify the potential production of enteric methane and anaerobic fecal decomposition, as well as to evaluate ruminal and behavioral parameters of cattle fed with cottonseed and vitamin E. Six cannulated cows (864±16 kg) were distributed in a replicate 3x3 Latin square. Treatments were: 1) control diet; 2) CS: basal diet plus 30% cottonseed and 3) CSVitE: basal diet plus 30% of cottonseed plus 500 UI of vitamin E. Results were compared through orthogonal contrast and values were considered significant when P0,05. No differences were observed for dry matter intake (DMI), as well as digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Animals supplemented with cottonseed spent more time eating and ruminating and less time in idles. Reduction in the concentration and production of acetate, butyrate and the acetate: propionate ratio was observed in animals fed cottonseed compared to the control. Enteric methane mitigation was observed for the cottonseed treatments compared to the control. Changes in the substrates characteristics used to load the digesters were observed. However, no differences were verified for the total biogas production, methane yield and capacity to recover the energy of the feces in the form of methane. Inclusion of 30% cottonseed can be used as a strategy to mitigate enteric methane, without causing losses in the DMI, nutrients digestibility and anaerobic digestion of feces. In addition, it promoted favorable changes in the ingestive behavior, ruminal fermentation products, as well as in the energy partition of the gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin E when is used as antioxidant had not effect on ruminal fermentation, feeding behavior and feces anaerobic digestion, thus the inclusion is not advised due absence of positive results. A problemática das emissões de gases de efeito estufa atribuída à produção de bovinos e melhorias na produtividade desses animais vem crescendo e se tornando cada vez mais importante. Bovinos emitem metano como parte do seu processo digestivo, e isto representa perda de energia para o animal. A decomposição das fezes gera metano, este pode ser recuperado por biodigestores e transformado em diferentes tipos de energia. Assim, objetivou-se quantificar o potencial de produção do metano entérico e da decomposição anaeróbia das fezes, bem como avaliar parâmetros ruminais e comportamentais de bovinos alimentados com caroço de algodão e vitamina E. Foram utilizadas seis vacas fistuladas não gestantes e não lactantes (876 kg±16). Os tratamentos foram: 1) Controle: dieta basal; 2) CA: dieta basal mais 30% de caroço de algodão; 3) CAVitE: dieta basal mais 30% de caroço de algodão mais 500 UI vitamina E. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o quadrado latino. Os resultados foram comparados por contrastes ortogonais e foram considerados significantes valores de P0,05. Não foram verificadas diferenças para o consumo de matéria seca (MS), bem como digestibilidade da MS e da fibra em detergente neutro (FDN). Os animais suplementados com caroço de algodão passaram maior tempo comendo e ruminando e menor tempo em ócio. Houve redução na concentração e produção de acetato, butirato e da relação acetato:propionato dos animais que receberam caroço de algodão comparado ao controle. A inclusão do caroço de algodão provocou mitigação das emissões de metano entérico. Houve alteração nas características dos substratos utilizados para abastecer os biodigestores. No entanto, não foram verificadas diferenças para a produção total de biogás, rendimento de metano e capacidade dos biodigestores em recuperar a energia das fezes na forma de metano. A inclusão de 30% caroço de algodão pode ser utilizada como estratégia para mitigar metano entérico, sem causar perdas no consumo, digestibilidade dos alimentos e na biodigestão anaeróbia das fezes. Além disso, sua inclusão promoveu alterações favoráveis no comportamento ingestivo, nos produtos da fermentação ruminal, bem como na partição de energia do trato gastrointestinal. A vitamina E quando utilizada como antioxidante não possui efeitos sobre a fermentação ruminal, comportamento ingestivo e biodigestão anaeróbia das fezes, assim sua inclusão não é indicada devido a ausência de resultados favoráveis a sua utilização.

Co-digestion of beef cattle manure and waste kitchen oil (WKO) was conducted using semi-continuously loaded digesters under mesophilic conditions. Nine laboratory-scale anaerobic digesters were loaded every two days during the first 45 days, to test the effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 14 (n=3), 17.5 (n=3) and 21 (n=3) days. After that the 21 days HRT was used to co-digest manure with 0% (n=1), 0.5% (n=2), 1.0% (n=2), 1.5% (n=2) and 2.0% (n=2) of WKO (Test 1) by volume. The control and oil additions corresponded to 1.46, 1.70, 1.93, 2.17 and 2.40 g-VS/L/day loading respectively. Variables evaluated included biogas production, methane concentration, pH, alkalinity, ammonia and microbial community. Total biogas and methane production per week increased linearly (p A second test was conducted using three treatments with greater replications: control (n=3), and 1.0% (n=3) and 2% (n=3) WKO levels. Biogas productions per week were 85.3% and 218%, while methane yields per week were 79.1% and 203% higher than the control, for the 1.0% and 2.0% WKO levels, respectively. Linear correlations were identified between oil addition level and many variables, including total biogas yield, methane yield and methane yield per VS destroyed. Metagenomics analysis indicated that bacteria were dominant with 97.8%, and archea represented 2.2% in the community. Populations of Clostridiales were 33.3%, 35.1% and 40.6%, while Bacteroidales were 31.5%, 28.8%, and 27.6% for the control, 1% and 2% WKO levels, respectively. Euryarchaeota Methanomicrobia YC-E6 was 1.5%, 1.3%, and 1.0%, but Euryarchaeota Methanomicrobia Methanomicrobiales was 0.4%, 0.7%, and 1.0% for the control, 1% and 2% WKO levels, respectively. Adding low amount of WKO as co-digestion feedstock can be a practical and effective biogas yield improvement method for the commercial beef manure AD plant.