B.CCH.6133 - Estimating the potential impacts of different mitigation strategies to reduce methane output from beef cattle
Australia has a National Livestock Methane Program
| Project start date: | 29 September 2014 |
| Project end date: | 25 November 2015 |
| Publication date: | 01 May 2024 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | National |
Summary
This is a review and coordination project within the National Livestock Methane Program. Its aim is to provide an estimate of the potential contribution of genetics to an improvement in productivity and a reduction in methane using the current genetic evaluation schemes operated by the Australian beef industry (BREEDPLAN operated by ABRI). This review will assist uptake and adoption of genetic indices for the beef industry associated with methane reduction.
Objectives
The objectives of this project are:
1. Develop a simple 3-trait model (600-day weight, mature weight and cow fertility) to determine the economic response to selection based on current selection indexes (which do not include CO2e cost)
2. Define the impact of a change in the economic value of methane (carbon price) on the selection response in 1 above: hence the $(deltaG) will decline as the price of C increases as this is effectively an additional cost associated with feed requirement.
3. Derive the required increase in carcase price to compensate for the increase in feed intake and associated methane such that the $(deltaG) is the same as that when there is a zero CO2e change.
4. Define the impact of incorporating a CO2e cost in selection indexes (effectively an economic weight for methane) at a range of CO2e costs from $0 to $150 per tonne CO2e.
5. Assess the impact of adoption of EBVs for methane yield by bull breeders on the methane output.
6. Estimate the scale of change and uptake required by alternative strategies compared with breeding-based approaches; this will include improvements in productivity (growth per unit time, weight of meat sold per cow mated), and other strategies such as the use of feed-based approaches.
Benefits to industry
This review will assist uptake and adoption of genetic indices for the beef industry associated with methane reduction.
More information
| Project manager: | Marine Empson |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | AbacusBio Pty Ltd |
