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Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867613750499999744 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Boshoff, Michaela Ann |
| author2 | Lambrechts, Helet |
| author_browse | Boshoff, Michaela Ann Lambrechts, Helet |
| author_facet | Lambrechts, Helet Boshoff, Michaela Ann |
| author_sort | Boshoff, Michaela Ann |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126186 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:41:06.301Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/126186 Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep Boshoff, Michaela Ann Lambrechts, Helet Van Zyl, Johan Hendrik Combrink Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Animal Sciences. Sheep -- Breeding -- South Africa Methane (CH4) emissions Mitigation strategies LoRA technology Ruminants -- Feed utilization efficiency Grazing -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Mitigation strategies UCTD Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: As a result of their contribution to global methane (CH₄) emissions, ruminants are under scrutiny, with research focusing on quantifying CH₄ production to contribute to the development of CH₄ mitigation strategies. Previous studies have quantified CH₄ emissions from ruminants; however, these studies were carried out under controlled conditions, and therefore the results cannot be extrapolated to animals under extensive (free range) production conditions. Despite the various studies on CH₄ emissions in ruminants, there is a lack of data regarding CH₄ emissions in sheep under extensive production conditions. Agriculture as an industry is in a unique state of transformation, as new technologies provide the opportunity to create automated and data-driven agricultural practices. A prominent technology available to the industry is LoRa (Long Range), a sub-technology of the ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT). LoRa technology presents an opportunity for the development of a low-power, affordable, and simple CH₄ measurement technique, which can measure CH₄ emissions with little to no human input. This study aimed to determine the potential of a novel LoRa CH₄ detection unit to measure CH₄ emissions in sheep under South African grazing conditions. The CH₄ emissions of ten intact Dohne Merino rams grazing kikuyu pasture were determined using the LoRa CH₄ detection units, a hand-held Laser methane detector, and an Australian-adapted Tier 2 approach. Three LoRa CH₄ detection units were installed in a 0.07 ha camp, and set to take CH₄ measurements for ten days, i.e. two days where background CH₄ concentrations were measured, and eight days where sheep CH₄ emissions were recorded. The LMD was used to take daily enteric CH₄ emission measurements from each ram for ten days. The objectives of this study included determining the potential of the LoRa CH₄ detection units to measure sheep CH₄ emissions under grazing conditions, and to compare emissions measured by the LoRa devices with that recorded by a laser methane detector (LMD). Both devices were used to establish diurnal CH₄ emissions in sheep, and to compare the recorded levels with the calculated IPCC Tier 2 levels for sheep under grazing conditions. The effect of ambient conditions on the CH₄ concentrations measured by the LoRa detection units was investigated. Relative humidity had a significant positive correlation with the CH₄ concentrations measured by the LoRa detection units, while air temperature, wind speed and solar radiation had a negative correlation with the CH₄ concentrations measured by the LoRa detection units. Significant correlations were reported for Device 3 only. The LoRa detection units and LMD compared favourably in terms of the characterization of the diurnal fluctuation in CH₄ concentration. The CH₄ levels measured per ram by LoRa Devices 1 (24.0 ppm) and Device 2 (52.9 ppm) were significantly higher than the levels detected by the LMD (13.9 ppm), while the CH₄ levels measured per ram by LoRa Device 3 (11.9 ppm) were similar to the LMD detected levels. The IPCC Tier 2 approach (10.3 g/day) underestimated the CH₄ emissions per ram compared to the LMD (27.6 g/day). It was not possible to compare the CH4 emissions data obtained using the LoRa technology and Tier 2 approach in this study as their emission estimates had different units (ppm versus g/day, respectively). The LoRa CH₄ detection device developed for this study, has the potential to be a low-cost and practical measurement technique to quantify CH₄ emissions from sheep under grazing conditions, limited to use in small, controlled camps. Once the device design is refined to overcome the few limitations identified in this study, the LoRa technology can assist with the generation of sheep CH₄ emission data under various production conditions to improve emission inventories and verify mitigation strategies, on a national and international scale. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As gevolg van hul bydrae tot globale metaanvrystellings (CH₄) word herkouers onder die loep geneem, met navorsing wat fokus op die kwantifisering van CH₄-produksie om by te dra tot die ontwikkeling van strategieë wat sal bydra tot verlaging van CH₄ geproduseer deur herkouers. Vorige studies het CH₄-emissies van herkouers gekwantifiseer; hierdie studies is egter onder beheerde toestande uitgevoer en daarom kan die resultate nie geëkstrapoleer word na diere onder ekstensiewe (vrylopende) produksietoestande nie. Ten spyte van die verskeie studies oor CH₄ vrystellings by herkouers, is daar 'n gebrek aan data rakende CH₄ emissies by skape onder ekstensiewe produksietoestande. Landbou as 'n bedryf is in 'n unieke toestand van transformasie, aangesien nuwe tegnologie die geleentheid bied om geoutomatiseerde en data-gedrewe landboupraktyke te skep. 'n Prominente tegnologie wat vir die bedryf beskikbaar is, is LoRa (Long Range), 'n sub-tegnologie van die 'Internet of Things' (IoT). LoRa tegnologie bied 'n geleentheid vir die ontwikkeling van 'n lae-krag, bekostigbare en eenvoudige CH₄ metingstegniek, wat CH₄ emissies kan meet met minimale menslike insette. Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om die potensiaal van 'n nuwe LoRa CH₄ metingseenheid te bepaal om CH₄ emissies in skape onder Suid-Afrikaanse weidingstoestande te meet. Die CH₄ vrystellings van tien intakte Dohne Merino ramme wat kikoejoe weiding bewei het, is bepaal deur gebruik te maak van die LoRa CH₄ metingseenhede, 'n laser-metaan metingtoestel (LMD) en 'n Australies-aangepaste Vlak 2-benadering. Drie LoRa CH₄ metingseenhede is in 'n kamp van 0,07 ha geïnstalleer en gestel om CH₄ metings vir tien dae te neem, dit wil sê twee dae waar agtergrond CH₄ konsentrasies gemeet is, en agt dae waar skaap CH₄ vrystellings aangeteken is. Die LMD is gebruik om daaglikse enteriese CH₄ emissiemetings van elke ram vir tien dae te neem. Die doelwitte van hierdie studie het ingesluit die bepaling van die potensiaal van die LoRa CH₄ metingseenhede om skaap CH₄ vrystellings onder weidingstoestande te meet, en om emissies gemeet deur die LoRa eenhede te vergelyk met dié wat deur 'n LMD aangeteken is. Beide toestelle is gebruik om daaglikse CH₄ emissies by skape vas te stel, en om die aangetekende vlakke te vergelyk met die berekende IPCC Vlak 2-vlakke vir skape onder weidingstoestande. Die effek van omgewingstoestande op die CH₄ konsentrasies gemeet deur die LoRa metingseenhede is ondersoek. Relatiewe humiditeit het 'n beduidende positiewe korrelasie gehad met die CH₄ konsentrasies gemeet deur die LoRa metingseenhede, terwyl lugtemperatuur, windspoed en sonstraling 'n negatiewe korrelasie gehad het met die CH₄ konsentrasies gemeet deur die LoRa metingseenhede. Beduidende korrelasies is slegs vir Toestel 3 aangemeld. Die LoRa metingseenhede en LMD het gunstig vergelyk in terme van die karakterisering van die daaglikse fluktuasie in CH₄ konsentrasie. Die CH₄ vlakke gemeet per ram deur LoRa metingseenheid 1 (24.0 dpm) en metingseenheid 2 (52.9 dpm) was aansienlik hoër as die vlakke wat deur die LMD opgespoor is (13.9 dpm), terwyl die CH4 vlakke gemeet per ram deur LoRa metingseenheid 3 (11.9 dpm) ) soortgelyk was aan die LMD-bespeurde vlakke. Die IPCC Vlak 2-benadering (10,3 g/dag) het die CH₄ emissies per ram onderskat in vergelyking met die LMD (27,6 g/dag). Dit was nie moontlik om die CH₄ emissiedata wat verkry is met behulp van die LoRa tegnologie en Vlak 2-benadering in hierdie studie te vergelyk nie, aangesien hul emissieskattings verskillende eenhede gehad het (onderskeidelik dpm versus g/dag). Die LoRa CH₄ metingstoestel wat vir hierdie studie ontwikkel is, het die potensiaal om 'n lae-koste en praktiese metingstegniek te wees om CH₄ emissies van skape onder weidingstoestande te kwantifiseer, beperk tot gebruik in klein, beheerde kampe. Sodra die toestel-ontwerp verfyn is om die paar beperkings wat in hierdie studie geïdentifiseer is, te oorkom, kan die LoRa tegnologie help met die generering van skape CH₄ emissiedata onder verskeie produksietoestande om emissie-databasisse te verbeter en strategieë om metaanproduksie te verlaag te verifieer, op nasionale en internasionale skaal. Masters 2022-11-24T10:59:28Z 2023-01-16T12:54:31Z 2022-11-24T10:59:28Z 2023-01-16T12:54:31Z 2022-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126186 en Stellenbosch University 105 pages : illustrations (some color) application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Sheep -- Breeding -- South Africa Methane (CH4) emissions Mitigation strategies LoRA technology Ruminants -- Feed utilization efficiency Grazing -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Mitigation strategies UCTD Boshoff, Michaela Ann Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title | Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title_full | Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title_fullStr | Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title_full_unstemmed | Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title_short | Determining the potential of a LoRa technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| title_sort | determining the potential of a lora technology approach to measure methane emission in sheep |
| topic | Sheep -- Breeding -- South Africa Methane (CH4) emissions Mitigation strategies LoRA technology Ruminants -- Feed utilization efficiency Grazing -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa Mitigation strategies UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/126186 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT boshoffmichaelaann determiningthepotentialofaloratechnologyapproachtomeasuremethaneemissioninsheep |