Feed additives for methane mitigation: Recommendations for testing enteric methane-mitigating feed additives in ruminant studies.

There is a need for rigorous and scientifically-based testing standards for existing and new enteric methane mitigation technologies, including antimethanogenic feed additives (AMFA). The current review provides guidelines for conducting and analyzing data from experiments with ruminants intended to test the antimethanogenic and production effects of feed additives. Recommendations include study design and statistical analysis of the data, dietary effects, associative effect of AMFA with other mitigation strategies, appropriate methods for measuring methane emissions, production and physiological responses to AMFA, and their effects on animal health and product quality.

Seaweed and Seaweed Bioactives for Mitigation of Enteric Methane: Challenges and Opportunities.

Seaweeds contain a myriad of nutrients and bioactives including proteins, carbohydrates and to a lesser extent lipids as well as small molecules including peptides, saponins, alkaloids and pigments. The bioactive bromoform found in the red seaweed has been identified as an agent that can reduce enteric CH production from livestock significantly. However, sustainable supply of this seaweed is a problem and there are some concerns over its sustainable production and potential negative environmental impacts on the ozone layer and the health impacts of bromoform.

Lamb Performance on Island Pastures in Northern Norway.

The Norwegian sheep industry is based on utilization of "free" rangeland pasture resources. Use of mountain pastures is dominating, with about two million sheep grazing these pastures during summer. Regional challenges related to e.

Ruminal Fermentation, Growth Rate and Methane Production in Sheep Fed Diets Including White Clover, Soybean Meal or sp.

The aim of the present work was to investigate the potential of sp. as an alternative source of protein to soybean meal in diets for sheep. Our experimental treatments included a control diet (CON) based on grass silage and crushed oats and three diets containing protein supplements, clover silage (CLO), soybean meal (SOY) or sp.

Variability and Potential of Seaweeds as Ingredients of Ruminant Diets: An In Vitro Study.

This study was designed to analyze the chemical composition and in vitro rumen fermentation of eight seaweed species (Brown: , , , ; Red: , and sp.; Green: ) collected in Norway during spring and autumn. Moreover, the in vitro ruminal fermentation of seventeen diets composed of 1:1 oat hay:concentrate, without (control diet) or including seaweeds was studied.

Lamb meat--importance of origin and grazing system for Italian and Norwegian consumers.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of geographic origin and grazing system for Norwegian and Italian consumers' probability of buying lamb meat. The study consisted of a qualitative part with focus groups followed up with a quantitative survey in each country. Included in the survey was a conjoint design with origin of the meat (Norway, Italy and New Zealand) and pasture (lowland pasture and mountain pasture) as factors, plus questions about consumers' motives underlying selection of food.

Effect of gender on meat quality in lamb from extensive and intensive grazing systems when slaughtered at the end of the growing season.

In Norway, most lambs are slaughtered at the end of the grazing season in September. An increased demand for fresh meat during the off-season may change this pattern. Castration of male lambs is not permitted, and off-season slaughtering may affect the acceptability of the meat.

Meat quality of lamb: Pre-slaughter fattening on cultivated or mountain range pastures.

Many consumers perceive lamb meat from mountain pastures to be of superior quality, a quality that may be altered if lambs are kept for a longer period on cultivated pastures before slaughtering. The objective of this experiment was to compare sensory profile and fatty acid composition in meat from lambs slaughtered directly from unimproved mountain pastures with meat from lambs raised on unimproved mountain pastures and fattened on biodiverse cultivated pastures for 26, 39 and 42days before slaughtering. The experiment was conducted at two different locations in Norway in 2006 and 2007, with a total of 124 Norwegian Crossbred Sheep lambs.