Mohammad Ramin, researcher at Applied Animal Science and Welfare at SLU, is one of the authors of an upcoming review article about gas emissions from dairy cows that recently got accepted in Journal of Dairy Science. Here is a short interview with Mohammad. The work title is "Recommendations for testing enteric methane-mitigating feed additives in animal studies".
What is the article about?
This review offers comprehensive guidelines for designing, conducting, and analyzing experiments with ruminants to assess the anti-methanogenic effects and production impacts of feed additives. It covers key aspects of the evaluation process, including experimental design, methodology, and statistical analysis. Various aspects of the evaluation process are discussed, ranging from experimental design and methodology to the analysis of product quality. Recommendations are provided throughout to ensure robust experimental outcomes and the accurate interpretation of results.
What does it mean for you to get this article accepted?
I have been working in this field for nearly 14 years, and I believe this work will summarize all the key aspects of reducing methane emissions from dairy cows. With many feed additives available, there was a need to develop standardized guidelines for their use, which this paper aims to address. It will also assist other researchers in making more informed decisions before testing new feed additives by highlighting the important factors to consider when using feed additives in dairy cows to reduce methane emissions.
What will you focus on now and for the future within your research area?
My future research will focus on feed efficiency and greenhouse gases produced by dairy cows to identify animals that are efficient. These efficient cows will produce less greenhouse gases while utilizing energy for milk production more efficiently. Additionally, I will conduct research on grazing experiments from a systems perspective, incorporating digitalization and assessing the welfare of dairy cows in Northern Sweden.
When will the full article be available to read open access?
Since it is a very large manuscript, I expect the paper to be fully published and available for researchers sometime in early 2025.
Read more about Mohammad Ramin
Reducing methane production of stored manure from dairy cows using Asparagopsis Taxiformis
Sustainable food production in Swedish dairy farming
Grazing under northern conditions