Jong geleerd is oud gedaan: reductie van de lange termijn methaan uitstoot van melkvee door interventie in het pensmicrobioom in het jonge leven : een literatuurstudie

Summary

This report is an exploration into the possibilities to reduce the methane emission of dairy cattle by interventions in the early life of the dairy cow. The focus is on the role of the microbiome in the rumen of the dairy cow. Methane production takes place mainly in the rumen of the cow. In the rumen there are micro-organisms (the microbiome) that metabolize the feed to cow eats to nutrients that the cow can use. During this process methane is produced and emitted, which is a strong greenhouse gas. Therefore it is desired to reduce the methane emission of dairy cows. Differences in the microbiome of the cows rumen could possibly result in a different methane emission. The microbiome of the rumen develops during the life of the cow, however the largest part of the species that inhabit the rumen of the adult cow have entered the rumen in the first weeks of life. This report explores the possibilities to alter the microbiome of the cow by interventions in the early life with the goal of producing less methane.