New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

---

The effect of age on methane emissions from young, weaned red deer (Cervus elaphus) stags grazing perennial-ryegrass (Lolium perenne)-based pasture

N. M. Swainson^1,2

S. O. Hoskin^1*

H. Clark²

N. Lopez-Villalobos¹

¹Institute of Veterinary
Animal and Biomedical Sciences
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand

²Rumen, Nutrition and Welfare Section
Food & Health
AgResearch Ltd Grasslands Research Centre
Private Bag 11008
Tennent Drive
Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand

^*Author for correspondence:
S.O.Hoskin@massey.ac.nz

Abstract    Sheep less than 1 year of age consistently yield approximately 20% less methane than older adult sheep. This has implications for New Zealand’s National Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions. The aim of this study was to determine if emissions from young farmed deer also increase with age. Methane emissions of 20 red deer stags grazing permanent perennial ryegrass-based pasture were measured four times post-weaning, at 4.5, 6.5, 9 and 11.5 months of age, using the sulphur hexafluoride technique. Methane production and methane yield increased with age (P < 0.05) and appeared lower (26%) than previous measurements from adult deer on similar pasture. The results from this study imply that total methane emissions from young deer recorded in the New Zealand greenhouse gas inventory are likely to be overestimated if values used for the inventory are based on adult methane emissions.

Keywords    methane; pasture; red deer; sulphur hexafluoride technique

A06061: Online publication date 6 July 2007; Received 2 November 2006; accepted 29 May 2007

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2007, Vol. 50: 407–416
0028–8233/07/5003–0407 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2007

PDF file of entire paper: Print-quality (820K) | screen-quality (483K)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page