The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) has today announced it is joining a new USD 27.4 million global initiative to reduce methane emissions from livestock by harnessing natural variation in how animals digest food.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas more than 80 times as powerful as carbon dioxide over 20 years.
Cattle are the largest contributors to livestock-related methane emissions, but even within the same herd, some animals naturally emit up to 30 percent less methane than others.
Scientists say selecting and breeding for these lower-emitting animals, just as farmers have long done for milk yield or fertility, can lead to permanent reductions in climate impact.
