October 8, 2024

 

New Zealand farmers and scientists trial tech to measure beef cattle feed efficiency and emissions

Farmers and scientists in North Canterbury, New Zealand, are trialling new technology to measure how efficiently beef cattle convert feed into liveweight, as well as their greenhouse gas emissions, Farmers Weekly reported.

 

The trial, taking place at Te Mania Angus stud near Parnassus, aims to provide valuable data that could help reduce methane emissions from livestock without sacrificing productivity.

 

Beef cattle of all breeds consume varying amounts of feed daily, yet some gain the same weight while eating less. Research teams involved in the trial are working to develop genetic tools that farmers can use to breed cattle that feed more efficiently and produce less methane.

 

Geneticists from Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Informing New Zealand Beef programme, scientists from AgResearch, and Te Mania Angus are collaborating on the project. Their efforts have already attracted interest from Australia, where scientists and farmers have visited to observe the trial.

 

Dr Jason Archer, Head of Genetics at Beef + Lamb New Zealand, stated that the trial's goal is to develop new traits specifically for the New Zealand beef industry. These traits will help farmers produce cattle that are more efficient with feed, have a smaller environmental impact, and allow farms to remain productive and profitable.

 

"Feed efficiency is crucial for farmers as they face rising costs," Dr Archer explained. "An animal that can grow or produce more from the same amount of feed provides a real advantage. We're also aiming to find cattle that produce less methane."

 

The research aims to create two breeding values: one for feed efficiency and the other for methane emissions per kilogram of feed. This work builds on previous successes with sheep, where scientists were able to breed animals that produced less methane per unit of feed consumed.

 

New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions profile is heavily influenced by enteric methane from livestock and reducing methane emissions will be vital for meeting climate commitments. This work also supports the marketing of low-carbon input red meat production, an area of increasing importance as both governments and consumers seek to reduce their emissions.

 

At Te Mania Angus, Director Will Wilding described the Vytelle Sense system used to measure feed intake. This system involves a bin of silage on load bar scales. Only one animal feeds at a time, and the system records the amount consumed by reading each animal's identification tag. The system sends data back to Vytelle in Canada, where it is processed to determine exactly how much feed each animal has consumed.

 

In addition to monitoring feed intake, the cattle are weighed when they drink to track daily weight gain. Methane emissions are measured using portable accumulation chambers developed by AgResearch, which are transported to grazing sites for on-site emission measurements.

 

According to AgResearch principal scientist Dr Suzanne Rowe, this technology closes a longstanding gap in the ability to effectively measure grazing beef cattle. The system, already proven effective with sheep, will help farmers understand the emissions profile of their herds and make informed breeding decisions to lower methane output in future generations.

 

The trial is testing both Angus and Hereford heifers, and farmers stand to benefit from the development of a more accurate feed efficiency Estimated Breeding Value (EBV). This tool will enable farmers to extract more value from feed inputs and improve herd performance while reducing environmental impact.

 

-      Farmers Weekly