FutureFeed welcomes funding announcement for pasture research

The Australian Federal Government has awarded $2.93m in funding to support large-scale dairy and beef grazing trials of low emission feed supplements including Asparagopsis. The trials will be run by GrainCorp in conjunction with FutureFeed, University of Queensland and Agriculture Victoria Services.

The funding was awarded in the third round of the Government’s Methane Emissions Reduction in Livestock (MERiL) program, supported by the Minister for Agriculture, Senator Murray Watt, and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen MP.

The trials involve the cattle wearing devices that resemble a tiny backpack, called SF6, which measures the methane emitted from the cow.

“The trials will target pasture-based systems for the first time and capture critical information to help us accelerate the development of the supplements,” GrainCorp COO Klaus Pamminger said.

In Australia, agriculture contributes 16 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, with around 70 per cent of this from enteric methane. This methane is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, in terms of its global warming potential.

“We’re looking forward to collaborating in this industry leading study to further develop our understanding of supplement mediated reduction of methane, and commend the government in backing innovative technologies aimed at emissions reduction,” FutureFeed CEO Alex Baker said.

The trials will extend into 2024 to allow the teams to capture results over multiple seasons.