Bolus bonus in fight to reduce methane
New Zealand’s government is investing millions of dollars in technology to reduce methane emissions from livestock.
It has pledged NZ$8 million, equivalent to S$5 million, in funding for a project called Cut Agricultural Livestock Methane (CALM), which a start-up called Ruminant BioTech is running. Investors in the company will match the government funding.
CALM is based on placing a bolus, or large capsule in the stomach of a cow, providing slow-release doses of a chemical called tribromomethane. Ruminant BioTech chief executive, George Reeves, has said trials of the system have resulted in a 90% reduction in methane emissions over a period of 80 days.
The company now aims to develop the system further to deliver a 70% reduction in emissions, but over a longer period, six months. Mr Reeves has said the methane inhibitor bolus is unique technology that has the potential to deliver significant climate change impacts.
He explained that almost 50% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture and that three-quarters of this comes from methane produced by cattle and sheep.
“While most countries around the world can meet their methane reduction targets by increasing clean energy sources, New Zealand’s situation is more complex,” he explained.
He also pointed out that many of the methane mitigation products in development already are primarily feed additives. Because New Zealand’s livestock are mostly grass-fed, feed additives are not practical there.
“The aim is for our bolus solution to be suited to every ruminant animal, on every New Zealand farm. There is no other solution currently available anywhere in the world like it. It’s a real game-changer,” he insisted.
Reacting to the news, Professor Frank Mitloehner from the University of California, Davis, agreed that it was possible for a bolus solution to be a game-changer and said he was keeping his fingers crossed for his colleagues in New Zealand.
