Innovations for reduced methane emissions in ruminants

Code:

RG-T4383-ATN/RF-20637-RG

Initiative:

Extraordinary Call

Other agencies:

USD 200.000

Counterpart Amount:

USD 433.609

Other agencies

USD 200.000

Total Amount:

USD 633.609

Participating countries:

Colombia

Argentina

New Zeland

Funding source:

Other agencies 32% Counterpart Amount 68%

Executive Summary

There is pressure to reduce the impact that livestock production systems have on the environment, accompanied by an increasing global demand for meat. However, the sustainability of these production systems in LAC is fragile due to a low uptake of technological innovations for identifying opportunities to increase production sustainably. Currently, there are limitations in evaluating key parameters in real time at the farm level, such as intake, ingestive behavior, diet digestibility, and enteric CH4 emissions under grazing conditions. A lack of CH4 emissions data, impedes emission reduction capacity and the competitiveness and sustainability of livestock in LAC. The objective of this proposal is to reduce emission intensity (g of CO2Eq/kg meat) in bovine production systems by 10% through the implementation of technological innovations developed in Latin America for the quantification and mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG). The implementation of these innovations will enable improvements in sustainability and resilience of cattle farms facing the impacts of climate change in LAC. It is also expected to improve the accuracy of enteric CH4 emission quantification in LAC, relative to those generated using the IPCC emission factors, allowing quantification of the environmental impact of production and selection of appropriate GHG mitigation strategies. The project is funded by the New Zealand Government as part of its contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA).

The technological solution

This project aims to reduce emission intensity (g CO2eq/kg of meat) by 10% through technological innovation, developed in Latin America, for the quantification and mitigation of greenhouse gases. Uptake of these innovations will lead to increased sustainability and climate change resilience of livestock systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Results

There are four expected results:

1. Remote sensing system for monitoring ingestive behavior and quantifying enteric methane emissions of pastoral cattle.

2. Recommendations for use of a feed additive aimed as reducing enteric methane emissions of cattle.

3. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology applied to quantify consumption and digestibility in cattle.

4. Direct beneficiaries trained in applying the three innovation for reducing methane emissions of ruminants.

Beneficiaries

Direct beneficiaries will include pastoral livestock producers, technical assistants, and the academic community from the Antioquia, Cundinamarca, and Córdoba regions in Colombia and from the Southeast Bonaerence and central Córdoba regions in Argentina. This project will contribute to the training of at least two undergraduate students, two postgraduate students, a postdoctoral fellowship, and the strengthening of technical-scientific capacities of 20 researchers, of which 12 (60%) are women. Expected positive impacts of the implementation of the three technological innovations on pastoral cattle producers include a reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions per animal of at least 10% and an increase of up to 10% in weight gain (kg/day), driven by increased efficiency in use of forage and animal resources, optimization of ruminal fermentation and mitigation of enteric CH4 emissions.