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. 2011 Aug 29;2011:613172. doi: 10.5402/2011/613172

Table 2.

Collated data pertaining to the effect of diverse dietary fatty acids on methane production in large and small ruminants.

Art.nr. Animal n Duration Ration Fat source (% of DM) Results Method Conclusion References
Forage/conc. Methane (%) NH3 VFA Propionate Acetate Butyrate Micro protein Protozoa Methanogens pH DMI Digestibility
1 Heifers 41 93 d 50/50 CO (10%) −18 ↓ n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. SF6 CO: 28% reduction [12]
Charolais/ 250 g/d −14.9 digestibility n.e.
Limosin CM (10%) ↓ n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓
in vivo 250 g/d
2 Heifers 16 35 d 50/50 CO (14%) −13.5 n.e. n.e. SF6 Linear reduction with [11]
Charolais/ 125 g/d increasing amount
Limosin CO (28%) −20.5 n.e. n.e.
in vivo 250 g/d
CO (42%) −39 ↓ ↓
375 g/d
3 Bulls 36 103 d 10/90 SO (10%) −40 n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. SF6 SO: 40% reduction [14]
Charolais/ SB (12%) −25.3 n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ digestibility n.e.
Limosin
in vivo
4 Lac. cows 50 12 wk 70/30 CS (48%) −23 n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. SF6 Methane ↓ (−23%) [18]
in vivo digestibility n.e.
5 Lac. cows 16 4 × 28 d 45/55 SFS (3.3%) −10 ↑ n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ n.e. ↓ ↓ RC LO : 18 % reduction [20]
in vivo TMR LO (3.3%) −18 n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ digestibility ↓
RS (3.3%) −16 n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ n.e. n.e. n.e. RS : 16% reduction
digestibility n.e.
6 Sheep 32 60 d 60/40 SO (3%) −14 ↓ ↑ n.e. n.e. n.e. ↑ ↓ ↓ ↓* ↓ RC Methane ↓ (−14%) [15]
Huzhou digestibility n.e.
in vivo
7 Sheep 12 3 × 21 d 60/40 CO (6%) −26 ↓ n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ n.e. RC SFS : 27% reduction [17]
S.W.H. RS (6%) −19 ↓ n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ digestibility ↓
in vivo SFS (6%) −27 ↓ n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓↓ CO : 26% reduction
LO (6%) −10 ↓ n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ digestibility n.e.
8 Bulls 16 21 d 75/25 SFO (5%) −22 n.e. ↑ ↓ n.e. ↓ RC Methane ↓ (−22%) [31]
Holstein 400 g/d Digestibility ↓
in vivo
9 Lac. Cows 36 319 d 50/50 CS (4%) n.e. ↑ SF6 n.e. probably too [32]
Holstein TMR CS (5.6%) n.e. ↑ small a dose
in vivo RS (4%) n.e. ↑ lacks hydrogenation
RS (5.6%) n.e. ↑ in the rumen
10 Lac. Cows 12 18 d 60/40 C14 : 0 (5%) −36 n.e. ↓ RC Methane ↓ (−36%) [27]
Holstein TMR Digestibility ↓
in vivo
11 Lac. Cows 8 4 wk 65/35 LO (5.7%) −64 ↓ ↓ SF6 LO : 64% reduction [30]
Holstein ELO (5.7%) −38 ↓ ↓ Digestibility ↓
in vivo CLO (5.7%) −12 n.e. ↓
12 Sheep 8 21 d 60/40 CO (7%) −38 n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. RC Methane ↓ (−38%) [29]
Huzhou Digestibility n.e.
in vivo
13 in vitro 24 h 60/40 C12/C14 Greatest effect with [28]
1 cow 10 : 20 −50 n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. raised C12/C14 ratio
15 : 15 −87 n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. (−96%). Reduction in
20 : 10 −96 n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. methanogens
14 Rusitec 4 10 d 60/40 C8 : 0 (5%) n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. n.e. ↓ MCFA : 18% reduction [26]
1 cow C10 : 0 (5%) n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ n.e. n.e. ↓ PUFA : 25% reduction
in vitro C12 : 0 (5%) −18 n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓
C14 : 0 (5%) −18 n.e. n.e. n.e. ↓ n.e. ↓
C16 : 0 (5%) n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e.
C18 : 0 (5%) n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e. n.e.
C18 : 2 (5%) −25 n.e. n.e. ↓ ↓ ↓ n.e.

CLO = crude linseed; CM = copra meal based concentrate with 250 g of CO/d from copra meal; CO = coconut oil; CS = cottonseed; DMI = dry matter intake; ELO = extrudedlinseed; LO = linseed oil; MCFA = medium chain fatty acid; n.e. = no effect; NH3 = Ammonia; PUFA = polyunsaturated fatty acid; RC = respiration chamber; RS = rapeseed;SB = soybean; SFS = sunflowerseed; SF6 = sulphur hexafluoride tracer technique; SFO = sunflower oil; SO = soya oil; S.W.H. = Swiss White Hill; TMR = total mixed ration;VFA = short chain fatty acids.