Methane

delilah

Member
There you go. The nice Mr Dimbleby has set out how you need to stop your cows destroying the planet. Bring them indoors and fit methane capturing masks.

Well done to the NFU. Top job you have done there in explaining why cows are part of the solution not part of the problem.

Methane suppressants One area of innovation that urgently needs Government support is reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from cattle and sheep. Farmed ruminants (mainly cattle and sheep) emit methane equivalent to 22 MtCO2e/year, which is almost half of all UK agricultural emissions.15 Methane emissions can be reduced by: • Rearing fewer ruminants, therefore eating less meat. • Capturing the methane they emit, either by moving them inside or by attaching devices to them (both of which could harm their welfare).16 • Reducing the amount of methane each animal emits (methane inhibition). There are a number of technologies for methane inhibition in development, but only one is so far commercially available: a feed additive called 3NOP. This has been found to have no impact on milk production or quality in dairy cattle, but its effects are short-lived so it needs to be given regularly in animal feed.17 This makes it less practical for use in the kind of extensive grazing systems that are common in the UK. Other additives are currently in development, including a seaweed called Asparagopsis. Lab trials in Australia have found that adding 2% Asparagopsis cattle feed could reduce methane emissions by 99%.18 In the longer term, selective breeding and “methane vaccines” may also provide a solution, particularly for sheep which are fed almost entirely on grass. Investing in these technologies offers our best hope of decarbonising livestock farming without massively reducing the number of farms in the sector and the amount of meat we can eat.
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
There you go. The nice Mr Dimbleby has set out how you need to stop your cows destroying the planet. Bring them indoors and fit methane capturing masks.

Well done to the NFU. Top job you have done there in explaining why cows are part of the solution not part of the problem.

Methane suppressants One area of innovation that urgently needs Government support is reducing emissions of greenhouse gases from cattle and sheep. Farmed ruminants (mainly cattle and sheep) emit methane equivalent to 22 MtCO2e/year, which is almost half of all UK agricultural emissions.15 Methane emissions can be reduced by: • Rearing fewer ruminants, therefore eating less meat. • Capturing the methane they emit, either by moving them inside or by attaching devices to them (both of which could harm their welfare).16 • Reducing the amount of methane each animal emits (methane inhibition). There are a number of technologies for methane inhibition in development, but only one is so far commercially available: a feed additive called 3NOP. This has been found to have no impact on milk production or quality in dairy cattle, but its effects are short-lived so it needs to be given regularly in animal feed.17 This makes it less practical for use in the kind of extensive grazing systems that are common in the UK. Other additives are currently in development, including a seaweed called Asparagopsis. Lab trials in Australia have found that adding 2% Asparagopsis cattle feed could reduce methane emissions by 99%.18 In the longer term, selective breeding and “methane vaccines” may also provide a solution, particularly for sheep which are fed almost entirely on grass. Investing in these technologies offers our best hope of decarbonising livestock farming without massively reducing the number of farms in the sector and the amount of meat we can eat.
This might be a way forward but...

Has anyone looked at WHY ruminants emit methane? It just might be that suppressing it causes all manner of other problems. We meddle with nature at our peril. It's taken millenia for nature to refine the rumen and we think we can do better with a bit of research...
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
Lets all blame cattle, totally ignoring the fact that we are digging up stored carbon and burning it, and I could add, wasting it, do we need to fly to Spain for a holiday? Get a free plastic toy with a happy meal? Eat out of season veggies that are flown in from the Southern Hemisphere? No. Do we need to eat food produced in the UK, using land that can't do anything else but grow grass (while sequesting carbon), Yes.
 

roscoe erf

Member
Livestock Farmer
Lets all blame cattle, totally ignoring the fact that we are digging up stored carbon and burning it, and I could add, wasting it, do we need to fly to Spain for a holiday? Get a free plastic toy with a happy meal? Eat out of season veggies that are flown in from the Southern Hemisphere? No. Do we need to eat food produced in the UK, using land that can't do anything else but grow grass (while sequesting carbon), Yes.
or breed at an alarming rate
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Will check, was an article about treadmills for ruminants to produce electricity and lower green house gas/methane emissions by less burps etc.
Many such "articles" either contain no references so are just opinions. Many others give a reference but when you actually read the referenced source it doesn't support the assertion being made.

It's also increasingly common for published papers to make claims in their abstract (often the only bit visible for free) which the actual data does not support. Verging on fraud really.
 

jondear

Member
Location
Devon
Lets all blame cattle, totally ignoring the fact that we are digging up stored carbon and burning it, and I could add, wasting it, do we need to fly to Spain for a holiday? Get a free plastic toy with a happy meal? Eat out of season veggies that are flown in from the Southern Hemisphere? No. Do we need to eat food produced in the UK, using land that can't do anything else but grow grass (while sequesting carbon), Yes.
And some Billionaire Bellends are In a race to go to space ffs.How are they doing that ? without burning vast quantities of fossil fuels!:mad:
 

Poorbuthappy

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Devon
This might be a way forward but...

Has anyone looked at WHY ruminants emit methane? It just might be that suppressing it causes all manner of other problems. We meddle with nature at our peril. It's taken millenia for nature to refine the rumen and we think we can do better with a bit of research...
Indeed.
I asked the question as to what happened to the methane and what side effects were there with this tinkering with the diet to reduce methane emissions by ruminants.
Didn't get much of a response .
 

holwellcourtfarm

Member
Livestock Farmer
Indeed.
I asked the question as to what happened to the methane and what side effects were there with this tinkering with the diet to reduce methane emissions by ruminants.
Didn't get much of a response .
The favoring of intensively grain feed beef to "reduce carbon footprint" nearly ignores the metabolic effects. Most feedlot cattle are slaughtered with liver abcesses from the constant acidosis, hence feeding them antibiotics to keep them alive until slaughter.

Echoes of the NHS valiantly medicating the illnesses of the obese fraction of our population.
 

easyram1

Member
Location
North Shropshire
We are in the middle of importing new rams from New Zealand. 8 rams from 4 breeders. 7 of the rams from 3 of the Breeders have been through Methane Chambers and been measured for CO2 and Methane emissions and have EBVs for these traits. The traits appear to be pretty heritable and a 25% difference in emissions between the best and worst appears to be the norm. Lots of farmer anecdotal evidence about desirable phenotypes. Unfortunately no evidence yet of any correlation between Methane emissions and ear length, hair colour of nose, wool shedding ability or style etc.
On a more serious note Kiwi ram breeders are all saying there is generally a strong correlation between sheep with high growth rates and low methane. This means a double win. Quicker growth = less time hanging around producing more greenhouse gases. Why don't we hear more about the value of improved genetics from our industry leaders?? .
 

Poncherello1976

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Oxfordshire
What I would like to know, is if cows eat grass an expel methane, does decaying grass when cut or dying out, does it omit and discharge methane into the atmosphere ? If so at what rate compared to cows eating it ?
This is my point, which I have drilled in, I mean explained!:), to my kids. At least with the cattle/sheep eating the grass we are getting something useful out of it. If nothing eats the grass, it will die and decay back giving off CO2 and methane.
 

Pennine Ploughing

Member
Mixed Farmer
This is my point, which I have drilled in, I mean explained!:), to my kids. At least with the cattle/sheep eating the grass we are getting something useful out of it. If nothing eats the grass, it will die and decay back giving off CO2 and methane.
But does feeding it to cattle increase methane or decrease methane into the atmosphere 🤔
 

Poncherello1976

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Oxfordshire
But does feeding it to cattle increase methane or decrease methane into the atmosphere 🤔
I do not know in short! Short term I do not think methane gets held up in the soil, obviously over millions of years it does. Look at Siberia where the permafrost is thawing and Methane being released.
The point is, and should be, about getting a useful product, for Humans, out of something that we can not use, as part of the Carbon cycle. If it is not used then it will be just a waste, with Methane being released anyway. This seems to be something that people with a certain agenda seem to miss, but still happy to catch a plane.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.1%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 67 35.3%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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