Effect of (Hemsl.) A. Gray intake on in vivo methane (CH) emission and milk production in dual-purpose cows in the Colombian Amazonian piedmont.

The inclusion of in pasture-based diets is a promising alternative to increase bovine productivity, due to its chemical composition and wide adaptation, but there are few in vivo studies to determine its effect on methane yield and animal production in grazing systems. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the inclusion in a basal diet of on methane (CH) emissions by enteric fermentation, and on milk yield and quality in dual-purpose cows. The polytunnel technique was used for the determination of methane yield and two diets were evaluated (Diet 1: 100%; Diet 2: 15% +  85% dry matter basis) in the moderate rainy and rainy seasons using a experimental design; milk production was measured by daily milk weighing, and milk quality was determined using a LACTOSCAN analyzer. The inclusion of did not increase the dry matter intake (= 0.369), but increased the intake of crude protein and minerals, and reduced fiber intake, resulting in the increased yield of milk and its components in the moderate rainy season (= 0.012). The inclusion of reduced the absolute CH emissions (= 0.016), Ym and emission intensity (per unit of fat, protein and kilogram fat and protein corrected milk yields) both in the moderate rainy and rainy seasons ( < 0.05). We conclude that the inclusion of in the forage feed base in the humid tropics such as the Amazon piedmont can be used as a tool to both mitigate enteric CH emissions and to increase animal productivity and hence reduce emissions intensity, and thus reduce pressure on the agricultural frontier in critical areas such as the Amazon.