Cattle methane project awarded research prize - leatherbiz: Leading ne Leatherbiz

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Cattle methane project awarded research prize

27/09/2017
Researchers looking into ways to minimise methane emissions from cows have been awarded the top prize from journal PLOS Genetics, the 2017 PLOS Research Prize.

Cattle’s production of methane contributes significantly to greenhouse gases and global warming, and the team from Scotland’s Rural College and the Universities of Edinburgh and Aberdeen set out to understand how the host genetics affects the rumen microbiome, and influence methane production and microbial digestion.

The authors investigated the relative contributions of diet, genetic factors and the composition of the microbiome. They looked into whether cattle could be bred to produce less gas.

Journal author Rainer Roehe said: “We are honoured to receive this award from the high impact journal PLOS Genetics. Our research article answered the fundamental question that the host genetics shapes its own microbiome. 

“In the future, we expect that the use of gastrointestinal microbial gene information will have a large impact in animal breeding, personalised medicine and nutritional recommendations, in many different species.”

Members of the genetics community nominated their favourite research article published in PLOS Genetics in 2016, and the senior editors selected the winning article from these nominations, based on scientific excellence and the community impact of the work.


Related stories:

Report warns of cattle potentially fed toxin linked to human health concerns 17/10/2017
Study suggests ways to substantially reduce livestock methane emissions 15/10/2015
White House strategy will boost efforts to cut cattle carbon emissions 09/04/2014
Leather’s carbon footprint could be reduced as scientists tap cows for gas 22/10/2013
Puma issues warning to “suppliers and countries” over guarantees on sustainable leather 28/06/2012
Colorado professor enters Meat Is Ethical competition 10/05/2012
Argentina should try to emulate cattle improvements 25/08/2011

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