decreased the daily amount of urine excreted (decreases of 20 and
35%, respectively); decreased the amount of fat in the manure
slurry (decreases of 23 and 42%, respectively); and increased the
amount of hemicellulose in the manure slurry (increases of 44 and
68%, respectively). Increasing the level of CS in the diet caused
significant increases of 39 and 79%, respectively, in fugitive CH4
emissions expressed in L day1 cow1. Complete emptying of the
manure storage, when the residual sludge at the bottom is
removed, significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the fugitive CH4
emissions by 97.5, 97.0 and 98.9%, respectively, for diets with 0,
50 and 100% CS. Increasing the frequency with which the manure
storage tank is emptied over the summer from 1 to 2 or 1 to 4 times,
brought about average reductions of 40 and 80%, respectively, in
the fugitive CH4 emissions. Increasing the frequency with which
the tank is emptied or the removal of residual sludge represent
efficient approaches and BMPs that can be readily implemented in
order to reduce fugitive CH4 emissions. The scientific data resulting
from this study will permit more detailed and comprehensive
greenhouse gas calculations and life cycle analyses of Canadian
dairy products.