![Scientific attention in the methane-reducing space is now heavily focused on grazing systems. Scientific attention in the methane-reducing space is now heavily focused on grazing systems.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/f1b23cf4-b468-4e43-a90c-55be65173aa3.jpg/r0_376_4032_2643_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Grazing systems are where the real gold will be in terms of leveraging the inhibition of livestock methane to reduce global warming and Australian scientists are making moves on that frontier.
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They say a crucial piece of the puzzle will be widespread producer adoption.
Ruminant nutritionist associate professor Fran Cowley, from the world's largest methane research facility at the University of New England in Armidale, said emissions reduction in livestock was possibly the fastest-moving area of research in any agricultural sector.
![Ruminant nutritionist associate professor Fran Cowley speaking at a recent beef industry conference. Picture Shan Goodwin. Ruminant nutritionist associate professor Fran Cowley speaking at a recent beef industry conference. Picture Shan Goodwin.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/38U3JBx5nNussShT8aZyYjc/f2cdd42f-714d-4b29-90df-6e73a4850b88.JPG/r0_587_6000_3974_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Five years ago there was nothing but today there is a suite of highly effective inhibitors and Prof Cowley believes that within two years there will be a different landscape of products again that will be able to be far better integrated into both feedlot and grazing systems.
The methane-suppressing additives here today don't work effectively in grazing scenarios because cattle are not actively consuming the inhibitory supplements as they graze.
"Scientists are now starting to look further down the list of inhibitors that potentially have a longer period of efficacy in the ruminant - something that lasts for six hours to allow for the time between visits to the supplement would put us well ahead of the game," Prof Cowley said.
At the same time, CQUniversity livestock researchers have found methane-reducing compounds added to water supply can reduce emissions in beef cattle by more than 15 per cent.
The results were achieved using a product called Agolin Ruminant L in a pen trial.
Lead researcher Dr Diogo Costa said by reducing methane from livestock through water-based supplementation, northern Australia's beef producers on extensive grazing systems could be part of the climate solution.
"All livestock require a source of drinking water and in extensive grazing systems this is increasingly delivered through infrastructure such as bores, tanks and troughs," he said.
Adoption key
Dr Cowley said part of the picture in grazing systems would be working on incentives for producers to adopt. In a nutshell, the cost of supplements will have to be reduced.
"Producers will follow the dollars and efficiencies. Quibbling over ideology is fast evaporating," she said.
A meta analysis looking at dozens of strategies to reduce methane in Australian cattle operations from Curtin University agreed.
Professor Dora Marinova said there were enormous subsidies going to the fossil fuel industry but "we don't see the same going to agriculture".
"Perhaps we undervalue beef - what we pay as consumers doesn't reflect the cost of production when methane-reducing is factored in," she said.
"It's a wicked question - people's values need to be incorporated."
Prof Cowley said one area industry leaders could look at was projected levels of adoption with different products.
"A 30 per cent adoption of a product able to reduce methane by 90pc would have the same effect as 90pc adoption of a product that achieves 30pc," she said.
"Maybe the answer is in less effective technology but with co-benefits such as improved productivity so adoption is far more wide scale."
Basket of strategies
Speaking at a recent beef industry conference in Cairns, Prof Cowley said early methane science was driven by the idea that inhibiting methane meant capturing additional energy that could be transferred into beef production.
However, emerging as a consistent picture across dairy and beef trials was that supplements being developed were not improving efficiency via the capture of energy.
"Trials of feeding asparagopsis oil to F1 Wagyus in a semi-commercial feedlot, for example, found that in fact there was an 8pc reduction in feed intake," she said.
Meanwhile, work has continued on getting genetic improvement in methane emissions.
"The difference in methane emissions can be up to 30pc between animals," Prof Cowley said.
"If we can harvest that through selection techniques we can get between 0.5 and 1pc reduction in overall methane emisisons per year for the industry.
"Genetic change is cumulative and lasting.
"If we can pair genetic selection with methane inhibitors we can start to reduce the cost of the supplementary mitigations."
Prof Cowley believes it will likely be "a basket of strategies" - a combination of genetic selection, productivity improvements and methane-suppressing additives - that delivers in the end.
Systems-based improvements to fertility and productivity will reduce methane produced per kilogram of beef produced, she said.
"But without the right policy incentives, total greenhouse gas emissions from livestock methane could potentially increase as we produce more beef," she said.
"Active inhibition of enteric methane synthesis will be an essential part of the solution."