Scientists discover low methane sheep

Scientists have proven not all sheep are created equal, at least when it comes to belching greenhouse gases. Researchers working for a Government partnership with the farming industry have discovered that some sheep naturally make less methane digesting their food than others - potentially opening the way for a low-methane breeding programme reports The NZ Herald. When fed grass, the difference in emissions between a low-methane flock and a high-methane flock was about 20 per cent. The difference varied depending on what the sheep ate - but it was always there. "For the first time we have opened up the possibility we could breed animals with lower greenhouse gas emissions," said Harry Clark, the scientist heading the study at Agresearch. "We definitely lead the world in this." Scientists created two flocks by taking sheep from a larger flock, one at a time, and putting them in a sealed breathing chamber. The sheep were fed a variety of foods while scientists measured the methane they made. Seemingly no matter what they ate, some sheep seemed genetically programmed to belch less gas. The consistently low-emitting sheep were added to one flock, while consistently high-emitting sheep were added to the other. The low-methane flock made 8 per cent less methane than the other flock when they were fed silage and other dry food. Although it is early days yet, scientists hope to ultimately breed from low-methane animals to cut the gas released by sheep, cows, goats and deer - which account for about one third of New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions under internationally agreed limits. Mr Aspin said the goal was to create a breeding programme to cut methane without compromising production. Cows and sheep are genetically similar so the sheep tests will help understanding of cows.