PROMISING METHANE EMISSIONS RESULTS IN IRELAND PUT LIMOUSIN IN BOX SEAT TO HELP THE BEEF INDUSTRY BECOME PART OF THE CLIMATE SOLUTION

The noise around livestock environmental sustainability

The Australian red meat industry has set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30) This means that by 2030, the industry aims to make no net release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions into the atmosphere A key driver to help achieve this goal will be reductions in methane emissions

Around 15% of the world's entire total GHG emissions come from livestock production - cattle, sheep and other ruminants Methane, primarily from burps, is a GHG 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide (Source: CSIRO) In Australia, direct livestock emissions account for about 70% of GHG emissions by the agricultural sector and 11% of total national GHG emissions

This makes Australia’s livestock the third largest source of GHG emissions after the energy and transport sectors Livestock are the dominant source of methane and nitrous oxide, accounting for 56% and 73%, respectively, of Australia’s emissions (Source: Deptartment of Ag and Food)

The good news is that the negative effects from methane are relatively short-lived, because methane is eventually oxidised back to water and carbon dioxide (CO2) in around 12 years as part of the biogenic carbon cycle The CO2 and water then get taken up by the grass that livestock consume to continue a closed cycle

So if we don't increase the number of ruminants on the planet, and the amount of methane they emit, then ruminants will have no net effect on global warming. Whereas, CO2 from burning fossil fuels stays in the atmosphere for potentially 1000s of years (Source: Australian Good Meat).

Therefore, reducing methane emissions from livestock has the potential to improve environmental sustainability thus helping the beef industry become part of the climate solution.

This is because if we reduce methane emissions from cattle, then we are actively pulling carbon out of the atmosphere which induces global cooling (Source: UC Davis). So if livestock industries can decrease methane emissions from the atmosphere then exciting things can happen.

Another factor to consider, is that rumen methanogenesis also results in the loss of around 10% of gross energy intake in cattle (Source: Journal of Animal Science), so in addition to helping improve sustainability, reducing methane emissions will also improve the overall efficiency and profitability of beef cattle production

Given all of these facts flying around, it is no surprise that there is so much noise in this space! Now that we are across the facts, and no matter where you sit in this debate, let’s focus on the positive role that livestock can play in becoming part of the climate solution, and how to make this happen

Methane mitigation strategies: Additives versus genetics

Numerous mitigation strategies for the reduction of methane have or are in the process of being developed around the world These strategies are currently either jostling for investment, participating in industry research trials for commercial validation, or are beginning to be used by early adopters (e g AACO)

These innovative strategies include: the use of feed additives (e g asparagopsis seaweed); nutritional management practices (e g increased feed quality); genetic selection for reduced emissions and improved livestock feed efficiency The race is on to see which of these mitigation strategies will be crowned the winner to support livestock industries, reduce methane emissions, and become part of the climate solution.

The use of additives in particular has received a huge amount of interest and investment (e.g. startups like Rumin8). However, a number of questions remain unanswered as to which approach is the best one.

For feed additives, there are concerns around how much they cost and who will bear the brunt of the costs for these additives; are there any side effects; what are consumer perceptions of their use; do they actually work at scale in both grass-based and intensive production systems; and, how long are they effective for?

On the flipside, the strategy of genetic selection for reduced emissions has been flagged as potentially being the most favourable strategy, due to the changes being more permanent, cost-effective and cumulative (Source: Journal of Animal Science).