Farmers are breeding low-emission sheep that burp less

In a bid to tackle climate change, scientists have teamed up with New Zealand farmers to try and make sheep a little less gassy.

Sheep, much like cows, produce large amounts of methane over the course of their lifetime through flatulence and burping.

The greenhouse gas is one of the leading causes of global warming, making up around 16 per cent of all emissions worldwide.

Using selective breeding techniques, scientists managed to bred a new type of sheep that produces ten per cent less of the problematic gas.

  

In a bid to tackle climate change, some New Zealand farmers are trying to curb the gassy habits of their sheep. Researchers used a chamber (pictured) to study the amount of methane produced by an animal 

To create the breed of low-emission sheep, scientists initially sorted a group of 100 ewes based on their levels of methane production.

To determine the amount of methane produced by each sheep, the animals were placed in a purpose-built emissions accumulation chamber, which the researchers jokingly referred to as the ‘fart chamber’, for 40 to an hour at a time.

With the first generation of sheep, scientists wanted to find out whether methane production was a trait coded in the animals’ genetics

The project was a collaboration between scientists at Invermay Agricultural Centre in Mosgiel, 225 miles (360 km) south of Christchurch, and New Zealand agricultural research company, AgResearch.

Senior geneticist at AgResearch, Dr Suzanne Rowe, told ABC News: ‘We were looking … to see whether the trait was genetic and what the effect of breeding for low methane was, and whether there was effect on other health and production traits. 

Livestock emissions are the leading cause of greenhouse gases in New Zealand. 

Globally, methane makes up 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.

Livestock emissions are the leading cause of greenhouse gases in New Zealand, and around ten per cent in Australia. Globally, methane makes up a hefty 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from cattle and sheep

Livestock emissions are the leading cause of greenhouse gases in New Zealand, and around ten per cent in Australia. Globally, methane makes up a hefty 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from cattle and sheep

If a carbon-trading scheme was implemented for the agricultural and livestock industry, the new breed of sheep could help farmers save money.

‘If we chose an arbitrary carbon cost of $NZ100 (£52) per tonne, we’d be looking at a cost of around $NZ43 (£22.50) per ewe. It really starts to stack up,’ Dr Rowe said.

‘We are hoping to provide — within the next 12 to 24 months — breeding values to the industry for methane.

‘If someone is in a breeding scheme, not only do they get a breeding value for production traits, they also get a breeding value for methane.’

Dr Suzanne Rowe (pictured) has led a breeding programme which is now in its third generation. It has produced a sub-breed of sheep that produces significantly less methane 

Dr Suzanne Rowe (pictured) has led a breeding programme which is now in its third generation. It has produced a sub-breed of sheep that produces significantly less methane 

Dr Rowe revealed that burping is the leading cause of methane production.

According to her research, the genetic trait for lower methane emissions is around 20 per cent heritable. The same trait also improves wool growth.  

University of Western Australia (UWA) scientist Professor Philip Vercoe said methane emissions are the result of farming inefficiency.

‘Of all the effort, time and labour that goes into providing feed for the animal, and all the time the animal puts in to finding and consuming that feed, something like ten per cent of that is belched into the atmosphere,’ Dr Vercoe said.  

In a 2015 report from Meat and Livestock Australia, it was found that by implementing emission reducing practices, it can benefit the entire industry. 

The report found that when combined with genetic selection, these practices can increase productivity by up to 22 per cent and reduce methane emissions by up to 40 per cent.

Scientists in the UK are also looking at improving their breeding techniques. To enable them to do that, some farmers are putting rams through a CT scanner (pictured)

Scientists in the UK are also looking at improving their breeding techniques. To enable them to do that, some farmers are putting rams through a CT scanner (pictured)

‘Research indicates that up to 40 per cent or more of the feed energy lost in methane from livestock can be captured and put to productive purposes,’ the report read.

Elsewhere, scientists in the UK are also using high-tech methods to improve their breeding techniques. 

Scottish farmers are putting rams through a CT scanner to see which of their males have the best fat to muscle ratio and are therefore most suitable for breeding.

CT (Computed Tomography) scans are a non-invasive way of analysing the animals, and cause them no harm.

Researchers at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Scotland’s Rural College (SRC) combined to study the farm animals.  

WHY IS FARMING BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?

Many people argue that livestock are bad for the environment.

Raising animals for food requires huge amounts of land, food, energy, and water. 

There’s an added problem for cows and sheep in that they produce a huge amount of methane. 

Methane is 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere and can be found in animal waste, landfills, coal mines and leaking natural gas pipes.

A cow weighing (1,210 lb) 550 kg is thought to produce 800 to 1,000 litres of emissions each day.

The White House has proposed cutting methane emissions from the dairy industry by 25 percent by 2020.

Cows are by far the biggest producers, contributing to around 25 per cent of all methane produced on the planet.

Researchers hope that the scans can reveal the males with the best fat to muscle ratio for breeding. CT scans (pictured) are a non-invasive way of analysing the animals, and cause the animals no harm

Researchers hope that the scans can reveal the males with the best fat to muscle ratio for breeding. CT scans (pictured) are a non-invasive way of analysing the animals, and cause the animals no harm

Kirsty McLean, manager of the college’s CT Scanning Unit, told The Telegraph: ‘The CT machines are accurate enough to measure everything from spine length, to eye muscle area, to intramuscular fat levels – all of which is taken into account when working out how to produce the best-tasting meat.

‘We’re then able to provide breeders with Estimated Breeding Values for these traits to help choose the best rams, and ultimately the best in quality for the product that ends up on your plate.’ 

High-tech approaches to livestock breeding are already in place, with some organisations already using video image analysis (VIA).

High-tech approaches to livestock breeding is already in place, with some organisations using video image analysis. The latest method using CT scans (pictured)  allows a similar thing to be achieved with living animals

High-tech approaches to livestock breeding is already in place, with some organisations using video image analysis. The latest method using CT scans (pictured)  allows a similar thing to be achieved with living animals

This method studies a dead animal to discover its composition and muscle mass. 

CT scans will allows similar results to be achieved with living animals for the first time.

Kim Matthews, head of animal breeding and product quality at the AHDB, said: ‘The farming community works tirelessly to provide the best in sustainable quality.

‘Our work is focused on delivering genetic evaluations that will enable the industry to become more efficient and provide high quality produce.

‘Whilst CT scanning might appear a novel technology, future advancements hold great potential for the industry. We have a role to help the public understand how innovation is used to deliver the products that they pick up on the shelves.’

The SRC has also received funding from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to further study the genomics of the British sheep industry. 

 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk