Emissions of Some Greenhouse Gases From the Manure of Ewes Fed on Pomegranate Peel, Yucca Extract, and Thyme Oil

Abstract

Sixteen dairy ewes 1 to 2 months pregnant and weighing 50.4 ± 1.02 kg on average were randomly assigned to one of the four treatments, four animals to each treatment: 1) control, 2) yucca saponin (YE, 0.1%), 3) pomegranate peel (PP, 15%), or 4) thyme oil (TO, 0.1%). Total gas production from the fresh manure was measured and the contents of CH 4 , N 2 O, and CO 2 were determined. Digestibility in vivo and nitrogen balance were also determined. Feed intake and body weight were not affected whereas some properties of the manure (dry matter, total N, ADF, and NDF but neither ash nor pH) were affected by the composition of the feed. Total manure production and the emissions of CH 4 and CO 2 expressed as parts per million per millilitre of manure were similar in all the four treatments whereas the content of N 2 O was higher in the control. Supplementing the rations with tannin, saponin, or thyme oil reduced N 2 O emissions from the manure.