Thursday, 10 November 2022 12:30

No silver bullets?

Written by The Hound

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OPINION: This old mutt is reliably informed that NZ ag sector hopes for the miracle of 'new technology' saving their on-farm emissions are likely to be sorely disappointed.

The supposed 'silver bullets' for mitigating livestock methane emissions are looking less and less likely - despite claims by both government and industry bodies.

Word is that, while refusing to release any trial data or even say who conducting its research, Fonterra has given up on its Bovaer trial - which was supposed to be the most promising option for dairy sector - due to 'technical difficulties'.

In the ovine space, big gaps supposedly remain with breeding low methane sheep, with some of these animals' recordig negative breeding traits.

Meanwhile, hopes for a livestock vaccine do not appear to have any future and there are also reported problems with previously announced 'low emissions' plantain.

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