Methane emissions by goats consuming Sericea lespedeza at different feeding frequencies

Twenty-four yearling Boer (87.5%)×Spanish wethers (32.5±0.36kg body weight) were used in a 32 d experiment to assess effects of frequency of feeding condensed tannin (CT)-containing Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) on ruminal methane emission. Fresh SL (153g/kg CT) was fed at 1.3 times the metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance every day (1SL), other day (2SL), fourth day (4SL), and eighth day (8SL), with alfalfa (Medicago sativa) offered at the same level on other days. Ruminal fluid for microbial assays was collected 1 d after SL feeding and at the end of the feeding interval (short and long interval samples, respectively). Dry matter intake was not affected by frequency of SL feeding. Daily ruminal methane emissions increased at a decreasing rate (Linear and Quadratic; P