Scottish Breeding Programme Expected to Cut Cow Methane Emissions 40% by 2044

Scientists at Scotland's Rural College have developed a breeding program called Cool Cows which aims to reduce methane emissions from cattle by up to 40% over 20 years through selective breeding. The program uses a new DNA test to predict which animals produce less methane and employs IVF techniques to accelerate breeding from the best low-methane animals, producing calves that emit approximately 2% less methane than their parents. Methane from cattle burps and digestion contributes about 12% of global methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas with a much stronger short-term warming effect than carbon dioxide. This breeding approach offers a permanent and cumulative reduction in methane emissions without genetic modification, potentially providing rapid climate benefits. Meanwhile, in Ireland, the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme highlights the economic and reproductive benefits of 5-star cows on the Replacement Index, showing these cows produce heavier and more fertile offspring, enhancing farm revenue and sustainability. Together, these initiatives represent significant advances in sustainable cattle breeding to address climate change and farm productivity.