UNL Receives $2.3 million Methane Research Grant

By Scout Nelson

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) has received a $2.3 million grant to study breeding beef cattle with lower methane emissions. This funding is part of a $27 million global initiative backed by the Bezos Earth Fund and the Global Methane Hub.

UNL is the only U.S. university awarded under this project. The grant will support a five-year research program to study the genetics behind methane emissions in cattle. UNL will lead efforts focused on commercial and crossbred cattle across the United States.

“I think this is a really exciting opportunity to engage graduate students and have them trained in really cutting-edge science that includes genomics and facets of the microbiome, and the opportunity to engage with international collaborators,” said the project’s lead researcher.

Methane is a major greenhouse gas, responsible for about 30% of global temperature rise since the industrial era. In the U.S., agriculture is the leading source of methane emissions, with cattle being the top contributors due to a digestive process called enteric fermentation.

The project aims to create genetic tools to help identify and breed cattle that emit less methane without sacrificing productivity. Previous studies show that some animals naturally emit less methane, and these traits are at least partially heritable.

“There’s very strong evidence in the scientific literature that shows that enteric methane emission from beef cattle is moderately heritable,” the researcher said. “The goal is to produce genetic selection tools to enable breeders to be able to select for animals that perhaps produce less methane.”

The research aligns with the Global Methane Hub’s goal to genotype up to 50,000 animals by 2030. UNL researchers will begin by acquiring equipment to measure emissions, followed by large-scale data collection and analysis across U.S. herds.

Photo Credit:nebraska-extenstion