There is no shortage of sheep in New Zealand: quite the opposite. There are 6 of them for each person. This is why the livestock industry produces a third of national greenhouse gas emissions.
New Zealand's livestock industry has launched a "first global" breeding program to produce sheep with low methane emissions, which would help tackle climate change.
The main animals raised in the New Zealand livestock sector, beef and lamb, already adopt a parameter called "breeding value" to help farmers select specimens with ideal characteristics.
Within two years, breeders will be able to naturally select garments whose characteristics include low methane emissions.
“Farmers are more interested than I expected,” said breeder Russell Proffit. His family has been producing mutton for over 40 years.
“I started measuring the methane because I believe that a healthy and healthy animal should produce less of it. We want more robust specimens that require less care and impact less on the environment."
A gas chamber (self-produced)
Farmers who want to produce low-methane cattle will have to measure part of their flock in an accumulation chamber, where their gas emissions are measured. The sheep spend 50 minutes in the chamber and are measured twice with an interval greater than 14 days.
The resulting data is used along with other genetic information to calculate a “methane reproduction value.”
Those with low methane emissions will be able to reproduce
Farmers who want to participate have two years to take advantage of the "breeding" animals, so as to be able to have offspring that are increasingly suited to their characteristics.
It is a worldwide novelty for any species of cattle. Looking at methane production offers New Zealand's sheep sector a practical tool to help reduce our greenhouse gases.
Slow but steady
It is estimated that with this natural selection method with low methane emissions, a reduction of approximately 1% per year should be achieved and without any negative impact on the productivity of the farm.
