Breeding and Genetics Reducing Methane Emissions in Animal Agriculture

Summary

This project, led by a multidisciplinary team of geneticists, nutritionists, and microbiologists from multiple universities, aims to reduce methane emissions from dairy cattle through selective breeding, milk spectroscopy, and microbiome manipulations. Funded by The Greener Cattle Initiative, the team is phenotyping 4,000 Holstein cows to understand methane emissions and improve production efficiency. Their goal is to develop genetic evaluations, predictive tools for methane emissions, and non-invasive methods for farm management. The project also explores the ruminal and oral microbiomes as potential predictors for methane production, with the aim of creating lasting environmental and production benefits.

Takeaways

• 😀 Multi-institutional, multidisciplinary effort to reduce methane emissions from cattle through genetic, nutritional, and microbiological approaches.
• 😀 Team consists of experts from the University of Wisconsin Madison, Iowa State University, University of Florida, Michigan State University, USDA, and the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB).
• 😀 Funded by The Greener Cattle Initiative, a public-private partnership, with matching funds from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding.
• 😀 The project aims to reduce methane emissions, improve production efficiency, and reduce the environmental impact of cattle farming.
• 😀 Methane is a significant energy loss (6-12%) in cattle that could otherwise contribute to growth and milk production.
• 😀 Phenotyping approximately 4,000 Holstein cows over 3 years on both research and commercial farms.
• 😀 Key data collected includes methane emissions, milk production, feed intake, milk composition, body weight, and spectral data.
• 😀 Three main approaches: selective breeding, milk spectral data for predictive equations, and microbiome manipulation to understand and reduce methane emissions.
• 😀 Selective breeding aims to develop a national genetic evaluation for methane emission traits based on genetic selection.
• 😀 Milk spectral data will provide predictive tools for methane emissions, enabling on-farm management and increasing efficiency.
• 😀 Microbiome manipulation will involve studying ruminal, oral, and fecal microbiomes to develop non-invasive tools for predicting methane emissions.

Q & A

What is the main goal of the research project described in the transcript?

The main goal of the project is to reduce methane emissions from dairy cattle by combining selective breeding, milk spectra data analysis, and microbiome manipulation.

Which institutions are involved in this research effort?

The research is led by a multi-institutional team including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa State University, the University of Florida, Michigan State University, USDA, and the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding.

How does methane emission reduction benefit dairy farming beyond environmental impact?

Reducing methane emissions improves production efficiency since methane is a loss of energy that could otherwise be used for growth or milk production.

What is the role of selective breeding in this project?

Selective breeding aims to develop a national genetic evaluation for methane emission traits, helping to breed cattle that naturally emit less methane.

What kind of data is being collected during the research?

The project collects data on methane emissions, milk production, feed intake, milk composition, body weight, and milk spectra data from cows.

How are the cows being phenotyped for methane emissions?

Cows are phenotyped for methane emissions using GreenFeed technology to measure daily methane output, along with daily feed intake and milk production data.

What is the purpose of using milk spectra data in this research?

Milk spectra data is being used to develop a predictive equation that could estimate methane emissions from the milk composition, providing a non-invasive management tool for farmers.

How does understanding the microbiome contribute to methane emission reduction?

By studying the ruminal microbiome, the project aims to identify microbial compositions and activities linked to methane emissions. This research could lead to microbiome-based strategies to reduce emissions.

What is the significance of non-invasive tools in this project?

Non-invasive tools, such as oral and fecal microbiome analysis, could provide a simple and effective way to predict methane emissions in cows without the need for complex or invasive procedures.

What is the current status of the research project?

The project is progressing well, having already phenotyped nearly 1,000 cows and is on track to develop tools for both genetic evaluations and milk spectra-based methane emission predictions.