Reducing methane emissions: what farmers could use in the near future

Reducing methane emissions is considered the most powerful lever for slowing global warming over the next 25 years.

The gas accounts for around three-quarters of New Zealand’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

The country’s current methane reduction target over the next 25 years is 24 to 47 percent.

“Five years ago, I would have said it was even doubtful that we could mitigate the effects on a large scale,” Clark said. RNZIt is Country life.

“I think we can mitigate the effects on a large scale.

“It’s just a question of how soon we will have these technologies in the hands of farmers at a price that they will likely be able to adopt them.”

So here’s a closer look at some of the work currently in development.

Capsule fit for a cow

A cow-sized capsule, or bolus, placed in the cow’s rumen (part of the stomach) could be available in New Zealand as early as 2026, according to Tom Breen, managing director of Ruminant BioTech.

It measures 7 cm high by 3 cm in diameter and tests show daily methane inhibition greater than 70% over 100 days.

He said they were aiming for a product that would work for six months, given to the cow once or twice a year and that “really good progress” had been made in safety testing.

The active ingredient in the bolus is tribromomethane, “a natural compound found in algae – we use the synthetic form.”

The capsule also contains an electronic tag which, once scanned, identifies the treated animals.

“We will also put in place verification practices on the ground so that we can show the impact we have had.

“What it costs farmers will ultimately be linked to the value it creates for them.

“It depends on how much methane we can reduce on the farm and the value of those emissions.”

The company, founded in 2021 in Waikato, will manufacture the capsules in a purpose-built factory which will be ready in mid-2025.

The first sales will take place in Australia around October next year, while Ruminant BioTech awaits regulatory approval for use in New Zealand.

“If we do what we hope to do here with the New Zealand regulator, we should be pretty close to the New Zealand market with our first product shortly after.

“(Animal) productivity is a question that is on everyone’s lips at the moment.

“It’s difficult to measure.

“We don’t have any conclusive data on this, but as we get closer to commercialization, our program can now look at this in more depth.”

Shine a light

UV-treated grass seed has the potential to reduce methane in pasture-fed animals, according to ongoing trials at Palmerston North-based BioLumic.

Founder and Chief Scientific Officer Jason Wargent said RNZIt is Country life They already use different “light recipes” to trigger certain plant characteristics, such as yield, and in April began testing methane reduction.

“Work by other scientists has already indicated that if we could increase fat concentrations in grass, this would be linked to the possibility of reducing methane emissions from animals.

“So BioLumic’s work will be to direct our light treatment technology to the ryegrass seeds before they’re sown, and then we’ll see an increase in lipids in the grass, and then we’ll see that potential methane reduction.”

Lab trials will move to field and animal trials in the coming months and treated seeds could be ready for planting on the farm in two years, Wargent said, with a potential 12% reduction in methane from animals consuming pastures.

“We are optimistic that we are one of the quickest solutions, right out of the gate, in the sense that we have no regulatory constraints.

“This is obviously not genetic modification technology.”

A helping hand and a share of the profits

Boston-based ArkeaBio has been working on a methane-reducing vaccine since early 2023, with nearly $10 million in funding from New Zealand, and hopes to have it on shelves within five years.

Managing director Colin South, who grew up on a New Zealand sheep farm, said the company’s trials in the laboratory and with small flocks at a Texas agricultural school showed a reduction of 10 to 15 % of methane emissions.

The vaccine, developed with $38 million in venture capital, targets methanogens present in the rumen via saliva and is administered like traditional vaccines.

They aim for a duration of more than six months.

“We have shown, what we believe to be conclusively, that the use of a vaccine can reduce methane in cattle and can do so with some longevity.

“We haven’t reached commercially viable levels yet, but at least we know we’re fishing in the right pond.

“The beauty of a vaccine is that because it is long-acting, it will work in feedlots.

“It will work with pasture feeding. This will work in countries like India, where the average herd size is less than three and fits into existing supply chains.

The plan is to minimize costs for farmers, giving them a share of the profits from the carbon market, South said.

“Ultimately, we would like to market a zero-cost vaccine whose profitability we would share with a farmer. »

Grown on site

A locally produced vaccine is also in the development phase at Lucidome Bio, which was launched in September.

The agri-tech company was created by AgriZero NZ, which is half owned by the government and half by large agribusinesses.

Acting chief executive David Aitken said the company was developing a protein subunit vaccine to reduce methane emissions in ruminants.

“We are focused on developing a safe, effective and affordable vaccine.

“Speed ​​and scale are very important to us.”

Tests carried out so far in the laboratory and using methane measuring chambers show that the company can obtain high levels of antibodies, which bind to methane-producing organisms (methanogens) and reduce the formation of “in vitro” methane of 10%.

The goal is to achieve a vaccine with a 20-30% reduction in methane emissions over six months and the company hopes to gain regulatory approval within five years “so we can get it into the hands of people.” farmers”.

“Affordability is really important,” Aitken said.

“We know farming is a tough job.”

-RNZ