<p>Widespread adoption of an effective vaccine/inhibitor package, together with the breeding of low methane-emitting animals, could deliver large emissions reductions &ndash; substantially larger than all other mitigation options combined.</p>
<p>If successful, such a package could release New Zealand farmers from the current situation where even best practice efforts to reduce emissions intensity are not enough to reduce total emissions from agriculture.</p>
<p>Apart from low-emitting sheep, however, the effectiveness and long-term sustainability of the technologies still have to be demonstrated in real farm situations.</p>
<p>Adoption rates will have a big effect on the net emission reductions across the livestock sector. If an inhibitor reduces methane emissions by 30% but only 10% of farmers use it, total methane emissions would be reduced by only 3% (and total greenhouse gas emissions reduction would be even smaller because this option would not reduce nitrous oxide).</p>
<p>So, the success of new technologies such as vaccines, inhibitors and low-emissions animals will also depend on how their adoption can be encouraged widely across New Zealand, including international market responses.</p>
<p>Ensuring new technologies meet all necessary regulatory requirements, such as no residues in milk or meat, will be a major test in the further development of these technologies.</p>
<p><strong><a href="methane.html">Read more about methane technologies in development</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="faq-1,listing,390,what-options-are-available-to-limit-emissions-growth.html">Read more about current best practice options&nbsp;</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="faq-1,listing,387,what-is-emissions-intensity.html">Read more about emissions intensity</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="realities-magic-potions-clarivoyance.html">Read more about research pipelines and the requirements for a success&nbsp;</a></strong></p>