5 minutes with Dr Richard Spelman | Dr Richard Spelman explains the project to Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor.
LIC Chief Scientist Richard Spelman on breeding cows that emit less methane.
we could improve methane efficiency
cows and ensuring we continue to
in dairy cattle. Working with CRV, we
produce dairy food for the world.
travelled the world and looked at how other countries were undertaking methane measurement in dairy
Were there any particular challenges in designing and setting up the pilot?
cattle. We are now doing this work.
One of the most significant challenges
Given its potential, how special
first COVID lockdown. We had issues
in the pilot was doing this through the
What was the genesis of this project?
is this work for you?
LIC undertook extensive work in
Greenhouse gas mitigation is very
measuring methane production in
country and there was also an impact
important to the dairy industry now
the early 2000s. This work was part
and in the future, especially biogenic
on being able to do the research at our
of a gene discovery programme
methane. Right now a lot of the
and through this we discovered that
discussion is around reducing numbers
measuring methane on a large number
of cows whereas this project gives
Now there will be a much larger study
of animals was very difficult. A visit
us the opportunity to identify animals
– what progress has been made?
from Harry Clark, Director at the NZ
that emit less methane per kg dry
The larger study commenced in 2021, a
Agriculture Greenhouse Gas Research
matter that they eat – thus having the
year after the pilot study. LIC undertook
Consortium, reignited interest in how
ability to farm more methane-efficient
measurements over 120 bulls in April,
4 | THE FARMLANDER
with getting machines and feed into the
research farm as it was due to start when we went into Level 4 lockdown.
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