NZ Dairy Winter 2021

| 109 nz dairy Photos: The trial, by artificial breeding companies LIC and CRV, measures bulls’ feed intake and methane emissions – in the form of burps. The bulls in the trial help themselves to feed throughout the day. They eat Lucerne hay cubes via feed bins which measures how much each bull eats Bull burps may hold answer to climate-friendly cows T he opportunity to breed more climate friendly cows is one step closer for New Zealand dairy farmers after a Waikato trial finds a possible link between a bulls’ genetics and the amount of methane they produce. The pilot trial, by artificial breeding companies LIC and CRV with funding from the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, measured feed intake and methane emissions – in the form of burps – from 20 young bulls destined to father the next generation of New Zealand’s dairy cows. LIC Chief Scientist Richard Spelman says results from the pilot trial are promising. “Methane production primarily relates to how much an animal eats. We’ve accounted for this and we’re still seeing variation which suggests genetics plays a role in a dairy bull’s methane emissions – now we need more data to prove it.” The research will now progress to a much larger study where operations have scaled up to collect measurements from 300 young bulls, the full intake from LIC and CRV’s Sire Proving Scheme. “If this genetic link is confirmed, farmers will ultimately be able to breed low methane-emitting cows from low methane-emitting bulls.” Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor attended the launch of the project at LIC’s farm outside of Hamilton. “What makes me so excited about this project is the cooperation. A company from the Northern Hemisphere and a company from the Southern Hemisphere working together for a common objec- tive. There are lots of options for methane emission reduction being looked at, and this is a great one,” Minister O’Connor said. Although methane emissions have been shown to be heritable, Spelman says LIC and CRV will carry out additional research to validate their findings. “We will be methane testing daughters from the bulls that are identified to be high or low methane emitters to check their emissions are representative of their father’s. It’s a long term project but it has the potential to deliver real benefits to farmers in the future by pro- viding another tool to reduce their farm emissions,” Dr Spelman said. CRV R&D Manager Phil Beatson says more than two and a half years of planning together with his colleagues at LIC has gone into setting up a robust structure for the research project. “Together, we have done a significant amount of work to set up this trial, including using insights from overseas projects measuring feed intake and methane emissions. We believe we are using the best approach for what is enormously complicated work. “CRV and LIC recognise that environmental issues have become increasingly important to New Zealand agriculture. Our collaboration, with support from MPI, AgResearch and NZAGRC, demonstrates our com- mitment to keep finding genetic solutions that can help farmers future-proof their business.” Harry Clark, Director of the New Zealand Agricul- tural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre, is delighted with the outcomes of the pilot trial. “We have been highly successful in New Zealand in breeding low-emitting sheep and this preliminary work with the bulls is a positive sign that we should be able to achieve the same for the dairy sector,” he said. The trial • The trial is being run by Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC) and CRV, which together sire 90 per cent of the New Zealand dairy herd through their artificial breeding bulls. • The project has received funding from the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC). • The bulls involved in the trial are housed in a barn so their feed intake can be measured. • Bulls help themselves to feed throughout the day. They eat Lucerne hay cubes via feed bins which measures how much each bull eats. • The bulls independently visit the Greenfeed machine (a special methane measuring device). • They’re enticed to visit the machine as they get a small feed of pellets which keeps them in the machine for three to five minutes – enough time to get a methane measurement (ruminant animals burp every 1-2 mins). • Bulls are under 24/7 video surveillance so scientists can monitor them remotely. It also al- lows scientists the ability to go back and review footage if they see any odd pieces of data from the machines that need further explanation. “We have been highly successful in New Zealand in breeding low-emitting sheep and this preliminary work with the bulls is a positive sign that we should be able to achieve the same for the dairy sector.” LIC Chief Scientist Richard Spelman and Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor at the project facilities at LIC’s farm outside of Hamilton. The research aims to give farmers the opportunity to breed low methane-emitting cows from low methane-emitting bulls. RURAL SERVICES » LIC / CRV Great Quality and Great Value info@sema.co.nz www.sema.co.nz Specialists in the design and manufacture of variable speed milk, vacuum, water and effluent pump controllers 3 YEAR WARRANTY on all our products