Mitigating enteric methane emissions in lactating cows: Impacts of cooling systems under summer heat stress


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Dikmen S., Özkaraca Y.

ADSA 2026 ANNUAL MEETING, Wisconsin, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, 21 - 24 Haziran 2026, (Yayınlanmadı)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Yayınlanmadı
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Wisconsin
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Amerika Birleşik Devletleri
  • Bursa Uludağ Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Enteric methane (CH) and carbon dioxide (CO) are major greenhouse gases (GHGs) in dairy production, exacerbated by heat stress. This study evaluated the effects of cooling system, parity, stage of lactation, and calving season on CH, CO, CH/CO ratio, and CH per unit of milk (CH/milk) in 44 lactating Holstein cows during summer, with an average temperature-humidity index (THI) of 79.8 (moderate-to-severe heat stress). Cows were housed in standard free-stall pens (CONT) or pens equipped with fans and sprinklers (TRT) for heat-stress mitigation. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS 9.4 (TS1M6) to determine the effects of cooling system on methane emissions and associated parameters.  Cooling systems reduced daily CH emissions from 3590 ± 2214 g/day in heat-stressed cows to 2004 ± 2133 g/day and lowered the CH/CO ratio by 44% (32.2% vs. 18.0%). Emission intensity (CH/milk) decreased from 119.8 ± 75.1 g/L in heat-stressed cows to 79.2 ± 97.9 g/L under cooling. Primiparous cows emitted more CH (3572 ± 2586 g/day) and had higher emission intensity (122.2 ± 89.1 g/L) compared to multiparous cows. Late-lactation cows showed the highest CH intensity (135.2 ± 89.2 g/L), reflecting lower productivity. Season of calving influenced emissions, with winter-calving cows showing higher CH (3323 ± 2401 g/day) than summer-calving cows (1816 ± 1151 g/day). These findings demonstrate that cooling interventions under severe summer heat stress not only enhance cow comfort and productivity but also substantially mitigate enteric CH emissions, supporting both animal welfare and environmental sustainability. Integrating targeted cooling and management strategies can help reduce the carbon footprint of dairy systems under future climate change scenarios.

 

Keywords: Enteric methane emission, cooling system, heat stress, Holstein, dairy sustainability