Another step forward in understanding differences in methane emissions at METHAGENE Workshop

The METHAGENE network is one step further in understanding the differences in methane emissions by ruminants. ~50 researchers from across Europe came together during the METHAGENE Workshop to connect their work and discuss next steps. The meeting took place in the beginning of November in Granada, Spain.

Next to bringing together data on methane emissions of individual ruminants to realise measurements on a large–scale, the Workshop on “Animal variation in methane emissions and harmonization of protocols” resulted in a plan to do more with the collected data. By analysing the data on differences in methane emissions of ruminants in different countries, new questions arise on how these differences in low– and high–emitting animals come about and what needs to be done to explain these differences. This is a next step in understanding variation in methane emissions of ruminants.

The Workshop brought together researchers from different countries and different disciplines. An interactive programme resulted in interesting discussions between nutritionists, physiologists, environmental engineers, breeders and micro–biologists on possible reasons for the difference between low– and high–emitting ruminants.

The success of the METHAGENE network is that it unites researchers from across Europe to work on new solutions in breeding for low–emitting ruminants. The METHAGENE consortium was pleased to be able to welcome new researchers to this Workshop. The network is continuously growing in number and geographically, especially with researchers from Central European states.

Bringing together as much research on methane emissions by individual ruminants as possible is necessary to realise a critical mass that is needed to find genetic–based differences in ruminants' emissions. This data can provide new solutions for breeding programmes that select on low–methane emitting animals and reduce the carbon footprint of livestock.

Presentations of the meeting can be found on this page (password-protected, for the password please contact Yvette.deHaas@wur.nl).