Burp-less sheep to be bred Down Under to cut greenhouse gas emissions
January 17th, 2010 - 4:49 pm ICT by ANIMelbourne, Jan 17 (ANI): Australian scientists are looking forward to breed burp-less sheep in a move that aims to cut down the emission of greenhouse gases.
Australia’s agriculture sector is the second largest contributor of greenhouse gases after the energy sector with nearly 16percent of the country’s total emissions.
Two-thirds of this figure is produced by livestock and 66percent of these emissions are released as methane from the guts of grazing livestock like sheep and cattle.
Australia’s Sheep Co-operative Research Center is now carrying out a first-ever study into 700 sheep with 20 different genetic lines. Each sheep is fed and then made to enter a booth its burp output is measured.
According to Dr Roger Hegarty of the study team, sheep burped large amounts of methane and they were trying to find ways to minimize it.
“We’re looking into how to reduce emissions from sheep - all over Australia teams are testing different approaches: changing the microbes in the gut, changing their diet, or changing the genetics of the animal,” the Courier Mail quoted him as saying.
“Our sheep studies are (primarily) aiming to find out if there is genetic control over methane production and, if so, is that a good thing to pursue?”
Dr Hegarty added: “Methane is the exhaust from livestock, and - just as you can’t put your hand over the exhaust pipe of a car and expect it to keep running - we’re treading carefully to reduce emissions without causing other problems.” (ANI)
- Australians try to stop sheep burping to reduce methane emissions - Nov 30, 2009
- Slashing meat intake vital for curbing emissions - Apr 16, 2012
- Cows grazing on "super grass" may produce up to 20 per cent more milk - Mar 01, 2010
- Grazing cows can actually cut global warming - Apr 08, 2010
- Eating wisely can lower carbon footprint: Study (Lead) - May 14, 2012
- Eating wisely can lower carbon footprint: Study - May 14, 2012
- Thawing arctic soil may release greenhouse gases - Nov 07, 2011
- Bizarre feed supplement could cut greenhouse emissions by gassy cows - Sep 08, 2010
- Coriander, turmeric key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions - Jul 06, 2010
- UN: Milk production accounts for almost 3 percent of greenhouse gas emissions - Apr 20, 2010
- Freshwater methane emission changes greenhouse gas equation - Jan 07, 2011
- Kangaroo meat could help Australia cut gas emissions - Aug 24, 2008
- Trees can act as giant methane chimneys - Feb 17, 2010
- Switching to natural gas won't slow climate change - Sep 09, 2011
- The Climate Change Terminology (To go with Curtain Raiser) - Nov 27, 2011
Tags: agriculture sector, australian scientists, cattle, contributor, courier mail, energy sector, exhaust pipe, genetic control, genetic lines, genetics, greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gases, guts, hegarty, livestock, methane production, microbes, operative research, team sheep, two thirds