USA: Intercropping pigeon peas with pastures reduces methane emissions by up to 70%

The efficient use of the BRS Mandarim legume intercropped with the Marandu cultivar of bread grass and the Basilisk cultivar of signal grass increased weight gain in cattle and emitted less methane per kilogram obtained. The daily gas emission per kilogram of weight gain was 614.05 grams in the intercropped pasture, about 70% less than in degraded pasture, which had 2,022.67 grams. Productivity was also higher in the intercropped treatment with pigeon peas – the animals gained 478 grams per day, while in the degraded pasture the average weight gain was of 302 grams per day. An increase of 58% over degraded pasture. The technology can represent advantage not only for cattle farmers, but also for Brazil, which, in 2021, during the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), in Glasgow, Scotland, made a commitment to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. According to the General Head of Embrapa Southeast Livestock (São Paulo, Brazil), Alexandre Berndt), any ...