New methane Research Breeding Values set to help lift herd efficiency

The beef industry is one step closer to breeding highly productive cattle that produce lower methane emissions thanks to a collaborative research project.

Since 2022, researchers have recorded the methane emissions and key performance traits – including growth and fertility – of more than 5,000 animals from the Southern Multibreed Project and Angus Sire Benchmarking Program herds.

The recent release of genomic Research Breeding Values (RBVs) for methane emissions marks a key milestone in the project. It will soon enable producers to perform multi-trait genetic selection to maximise their herds’ productivity while reducing their methane emissions.

Long-term reductions 

The ‘Low methane beef (LMB) project’ is a joint initiative between the University of New England (UNE), NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), Angus Australia and MLA.

Measurements of methane were taken from steers at UNE’s Tullimba feedlot during feed intake and performance testing, while their sisters were monitored on pasture using GreenFeed emissions systems.

Researchers and participating producers collected genetic data right throughout the animals’ lives, from birth to processing. They recorded performance traits such as carcase quality, growth, fertility, eating quality and yield.

The new methane RBVs are designed to work in combination with other traits currently available in BREEDPLAN.

UNE researcher, Professor Sam Clark, see this as a key requirement for industry-wide adoption and the potential for lasting impact.

“Genetic change is long term, permanent and cumulative – we can essentially improve herd genetics with each generation to increase productivity and efficiency for methane traits,” Sam said.

Dr Tom Granleese from NSW DPIRD is excited about the win-win for both producers and the environment.

“We’re still a little way off from making industry-wide impact, but the most exciting part of this research is that like at Oprah Winfrey shows, everybody gets a prize,” Tom said.

“The environment benefits from lower methane emissions and producers benefit from more efficient, productive cattle.”

Measuring for methane 

At the paddock level, the project has uncovered insights that will inform future emissions reduction projects.

When animals enter the GreenFeed units voluntarily to feed, sensors monitor the carbon dioxide levels in their breath.

“At the start of the project we had a 60% visitation rate to the GreenFeed systems in the paddock,” Tom said.

“The machines are competing for the cattle’s attention with other attractions such as watering points and trees to play with.

“We trialled different measures to encourage them to use the machines and were able to increase visitation up to 80%.

“The cost of the project doesn’t change whether you get 100% visitation or none, so maximising visitation is important.”

A whole-of-system approach

The project is one of the largest of its kind internationally. Sam sees it as just one part of a larger body of work to move the whole production system towards greater efficiency and sustainability.

“Producers manage methane indirectly by optimising the time it takes to get an animal to market,” Sam said.

Culling dry cows, getting cows to calve at two years of age instead of three, and selecting bulls for optimised productivity and lower emissions are the fastest ways to make long-term changes to the national herd. Feed additives and pastures may also have their place in future.

Producers are expected to have access to the new methane genomic breeding values via BREEDPLAN from 2027–28.

There are new investments in collaboration with the Zero Net Emissions Agriculture CRC, UNE, Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit and the Global Methane Hub to continue collecting the required methane data to build on this project to routinely deliver methane breeding tools to the Australian red meat industry.