The power of global collaboration was shown in the ability to do a global rumen microbes census. New Zealand scientists wondered how typical the rumen microbes found in New Zealand ruminants are globally – a key question if New Zealand hopes to market new solutions it may develop to reduce methane emissions from enteric fermentation.
Through the Global Research Alliance, New Zealand scientists led a global project to compare rumen samples from around the world. They received over 700 contributions from 35 countries, including not only goats, sheep and cattle, but species such as reindeer, giraffes and camels. They found that despite some differences related to feed and species, methanogens are surprisingly similar everywhere. Read more
This means that strategies to inhibit dominant methanogens, such as through methane inhibitors being developed by the PGgRc and NZAGRC, are likely to be applicable in grazing based systems globally. This gives further direction and impetus to the domestically funded research and development work.