The role of livestock in sustainable food production systems in Canada

Ominski, Kim; Gunte, Kebebe E; Wittenberg, K. M.; Legesse, Getahun; Mengistu, Genet; McAllister, Tim A.

doi:10.1139/cjas-2021-0005

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 61 publications

(66 reference statements)

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“…The projected future global demands for meat and dairy production have pressured agricultural sectors to provide more efficient and sustainable food production systems, leading to opportunities and challenges for improving cattle production systems 1 , 2 such as improving cattle feed efficiency. Feed efficiency is a complex trait influenced by multiple biological mechanisms mainly attributed to metabolizable energy use and energy partitioning 3 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-breed host rumen epithelium transcriptome and microbiome associations and their relationship with beef cattle feed efficiency

Fonseca,

Lam,

Chen

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Understanding host-microbial interactions in the rumen and its influence on desirable production traits may lead to potential microbiota manipulation or genetic selection for improved cattle feed efficiency. This study investigated the host transcriptome and its correlation with the rumen archaea and bacteria differential abundance of two pure beef cattle breeds (Angus and Charolais) and one composite beef hybrid (Kinsella) divergent for residual feed intake (RFI; low-RFI vs. high-RFI). Using RNA-Sequencing of rumen tissue and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, differentially expressed genes (FDR ≤ 0.05, |log2(Fold-change) >|2) and differentially abundant (p-value < 0.05) archaea and bacteria amplicon sequence variants (ASV) were determined. Significant correlations between gene expression and ASVs (p-value < 0.05) were determine using Spearman correlation. Interesting associations with muscle contraction and the modulation of the immune system were observed for the genes correlated with bacterial ASVs. Potential functional candidate genes for feed efficiency status were identified for Angus (CCL17, CCR3, and CXCL10), Charolais (KCNK9, GGT1 and IL6), and Kinsella breed (ESR2). The results obtained here provide more insights regarding the applicability of target host and rumen microbial traits for the selection and breeding of more feed efficient beef cattle.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-breed host rumen epithelium transcriptome and microbiome associations and their relationship with beef cattle feed efficiency

Fonseca,

Lam,

Chen

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…This initiative aims to advance low-cost, scalable practices and technologies to reduce methane emissions, particularly in the cowcalf sector. Canadian herds also play a vital role in preserving carbon in soil and protecting biodiversity, with over 11 million cattle and calves making Canada one of the largest exporters [17,18] of sustainable cattle globally.…”

Section: The Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge and Canada's En...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Dairy Farming in Canada amidst Climate Change

Neethirajan

2023

Sustainability

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In recent years, the Canadian dairy sector has faced escalating challenges due to its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane. This paper critically examines a spectrum of innovative techniques aimed at mitigating methane emissions within this sector, scrutinizing their cost-effectiveness, efficiency, compatibility with animal welfare standards, and adherence to both existing and prospective Canadian environmental legislations. The discourse begins with an exhaustive overview of contemporary methane reduction methodologies relevant to dairy farming, followed by a rigorous analysis of their economic feasibility. This includes a detailed cost-benefit analysis, juxtaposed with the efficiency and technological advancements these techniques embody. A pivotal aspect of this examination is the alignment of animal welfare with emission reduction objectives, ensuring that the strategies employed do not compromise the health and well-being of dairy cattle. Furthermore, the paper delves into the legislative landscape of Canada, evaluating the congruence of these techniques with current environmental laws and anticipating future regulatory shifts. Performance indicators for emission reduction are critically assessed, establishing benchmarks tailored to the Canadian context. This is complemented by an exploration of the market potential of these innovations, including factors influencing their adoption and scalability in the market. The analysis culminates with a synthesis of case studies and best practices within Canada, offering insights into successful implementations and drawing lessons for future endeavors. This comprehensive approach not only addresses the immediate environmental and health impacts associated with dairy farming emissions but also significantly contributes to the overarching goal of sustainable development in the agricultural sector. The research presented in this paper holds significant implications for the future of sustainable dairy farming, offering a model for addressing environmental challenges while maintaining economic viability and animal welfare.

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“…For instance, livestock production systems have different sources of GHG, and although many methods exist to quantify the emissions, there are intrinsic methodological limitations that prevent broad recommendations without negative repercussions or unintended consequences. In part, the difficulties arise because of the complexity of livestock production systems ( Ominski et al, 2021 ) and different management strategies specific to each situation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantification of methane emitted by ruminants: a review of methods

Tedeschi

Abdalla

Álvarez

et al. 2022

Journal of Animal Science

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The contribution of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ruminant production systems varies between countries and between regions within individual countries. The appropriate quantification of GHG emissions, specifically methane (CH4), has raised questions about the correct reporting of GHG inventories and, perhaps more importantly, how best to mitigate CH4 emissions. This review documents existing methods and methodologies to measure and estimate CH4 emissions from ruminant animals and the manure produced therein over various scales and conditions. Measurements of CH4 have frequently been conducted in research settings using classical methodologies developed for bioenergetic purposes, such as gas exchange techniques (respiration chambers, headboxes). While very precise, these techniques are limited to research settings as they are expensive, labor-intensive, and applicable only to a few animals. Head-stalls, such as the GreenFeed system, have been used to measure expired CH4 for individual animals housed alone or in groups in confinement or grazing. This technique requires frequent animal visitation over the diurnal measurement period and an adequate number of collection days. The tracer gas technique can be used to measure CH4 from individual animals housed outdoors, as there is a need to ensure low background concentrations. Micrometeorological techniques (e.g., open-path lasers) can measure CH4 emissions over larger areas and many animals, but limitations exist, including the need to measure over more extended periods. Measurement of CH4 emissions from manure depends on the type of storage, animal housing, CH4 concentration inside and outside the boundaries of the area of interest, and ventilation rate, which is likely the variable that contributes the greatest to measurement uncertainty. For large-scale areas, aircraft, drones, and satellites have been used in association with the tracer flux method, inverse modeling, imagery, and lidar, but research is lagging in validating these methods. Bottom-up approaches to estimating CH4 emissions rely on empirical or mechanistic modeling to quantify the contribution of individual sources (enteric and manure). In contrast, top-down approaches estimate the amount of CH4 in the atmosphere using spatial and temporal models to account for transportation from an emitter to an observation point. While these two estimation approaches rarely agree, they help identify knowledge gaps and research requirements in practice.

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The role of livestock in sustainable food production systems in Canada

Cited by 8 publications

References 61 publications

Multi-breed host rumen epithelium transcriptome and microbiome associations and their relationship with beef cattle feed efficiency

Multi-breed host rumen epithelium transcriptome and microbiome associations and their relationship with beef cattle feed efficiency

Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Dairy Farming in Canada amidst Climate Change

Quantification of methane emitted by ruminants: a review of methods

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