Modeling Methane Emissions by Ruminants

by Kerri Surbaugh

Submitted : Spring 2014

Data collected as part of a study comparing methane production and weight gain of young bulls between the ages of 5 months and 11 months were used as the basis of analysis to discover the full amount of methane produced per kg weight gained on average per bull. The data per treatment group was plotted and a curve fit to the graph using least squares regression analysis. The area under the curves was calculated to determine the total amount of methane produced per treatment group. These totals were divided by the respective average weight gain of the bulls of each cohort. The bulls fed the diet of the maize silage were found to have produced significantly less methane per kg of weight gained.

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