Direct enteric methane measurements of sheep on 20 French farms (10 dairy and 10 meat farms) have started in these months. The evaluations are done with an innovative non-invasive laser instrument called Laser Methane Detector (LMD).
- The LMD is based on infrared absorption spectroscopy and was initially developed to detect emissions from gas leaks in mines, the petrochemical industry and landfills.
- Over the past ten years, this instrument has been used by researchers to measure the concentration of methane in the air exhaled or belched by ruminants.
- The results obtained during this study will make it possible to compare enteric emissions on farms, based on differences in breed, management and animal feeding.
- The method will then be standardised and implemented during a trial that will take place at the experimental barn of the Department of Agriculture of the University of Sassari.
- This will make it possible to compare the results obtained with those estimated by the CAP’2ER tool for the same farms.
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In the pictures, Dr. Lydia Lanzoni, PhD student of the Dep. of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Teramo (collaborator in the LIFE Green Sheep project) while taking measurements of methane and estimating the weight of the animals on a meat sheep farm.
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