Breeding for low methane can improve productivity
Livestock can be bred for lower methane emissions while also improving productivity at a rate greater than what the industry is currently achieving, research has shown.
Methane — which is nearly 30 times stronger than carbon dioxide — is a gas produced by cows that is known to be harmful to the planet.
Scientists from Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have created an additive made from red seaweed, known as FutureFeed.
Adding just a small amount of FutureFeed to the cow’s food is estimated to reduce methane production by as much as 80%.
The red seaweed grows naturally in the waters of Australia and is also now being farmed in a number of other countries.
