February 26, 2008

New Zealand, Australia team to reduce livestock methane emissions

Scientists from New Zealand and Australia announced to jointly investigate ways to reduce the impact of livestock methane emissions.

The researchers will study the digestive processes in the rumen of livestock, Research, Science and Technology minister Pete Hodgson said.

Hodgson said any scientific breakthrough in methane emissions area would yield a very large return.

The key to the research is to better understand the digestive processes of livestock and gain more efficiency in their nutrition thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, the New Zealand minister said.