<p>
The NZAGRC&#39;s research programme is designed specifically to build on existing well-targeted research funded by the PGgRc and SLMACC (MAF) to advance the discovery of cost effective solutions. Since 97% of all agricultural methane emissions arise from enteric fermentation, the research concentrates almost exclusively on this sector.<br />
<br />
</p>
<p>
<span class="h5">Goals &amp; Objectives</span>
</p>
<p>
The underlying aim of the NZAGRC CH<sub>4</sub> programme is to reduce emissions by manipulating the processes responsible for producing methane. This essentially involves a two pronged approach; directly manipulating the activities of methanogens through such things as small molecule inhibitors or vaccines and indirectly manipulating the activities of methanogens through feeding and changes in animal phenotype. The NZAGRC investment in these areas is highly aligned with existing programmes already being funded by the PGgRc and/or PGgRc/MAF. 
</p>
<p>
A further small programme has concentrated on the development and validation of a model that can be used by farmers to estimate the economics of installing methane bio-digesters. The model suggests that the installation of bio-digesters on farms having as few as 400 cows can be economic, with a payback period on the investment of 3-5 years. Further work is being undertaken using SLMACC funding from MAF to confirm these initial findings prior to the model being promoted and released.<br />
<br />
</p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td width="7%" align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #d1d3d4; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			&nbsp;</td>
			<td width="45%" align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #d1d3d4; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<span class="h6">Objective</span> 
			</td>
			<td width="28%" align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #d1d3d4; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<span class="h6">Leader</span> 
			</td>
			<td width="20%" align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #d1d3d4; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<span class="h6">Timeframe</span> 
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="complete.html#Obj1.1"><span class="h5">1.1</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Feeding Microalgae
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr David Pacheco 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Jun 11 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="current.html#Obj1.2"><span class="h5">1.2</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Low Methane producing animals
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			John McEwan 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Jun 14 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="current.html#Obj1.3"><span class="h5">1.3</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Genomic identification of universal targets for methanogen inhibition 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr Sinead Leahy 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Dec 14 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="current.html#Obj1.4"><span class="h5">1.4</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Enhanced discovery of methanogen - specific inhibitors
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr Ron Ronimus
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Jun 14 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="current.html#Obj1.5"><span class="h5">1.5</span></a> 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Expression of vaccine target proteins 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr Bryce Buddle
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Jun 13 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="current.html#Obj1.6"><span class="h5">1.6</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Identifying alternative hydrogen utilisers 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr Gemma Henderson
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Dec 14 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td align="center" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			<a href="complete.html#Obj1.7"><span class="h5">1.7</span></a>
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Methane capture and utilisation from Dairy effluent 
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Dr Rupert Craggs
			</p>
			</td>
			<td align="left" valign="middle" style="background-color: #ffffff; border: 1px solid #d1d3d4">
			<p>
			Apr 10 - Jun 11 
			</p>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
<span class="h5"><a name="people" title="people"></a><br />
Principal Investigators</span> 
</p>
<p>
Dr Graeme Attwood, AgResearch<br />
Dr Peter Janssen, AgResearch 
</p>
<p>
<a name="Stories" title="Stories"></a><br />
<span class="h5">Stories</span> 
</p>
<p>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td><a href="user/file/16/Release5_February_2012_p4.pdf" title="Mitigation of Methane"><img src="user/image/thumb/220/Methane1.jpg" border="0" alt="Mitigation of Methane" title="Mitigation of Methane" width="80" height="80" /></a></td>
			<td><a href="user/file/16/Release5_February_2012_p4.pdf" title="Mitigation of Methane" class="h6">Mitigation</a><a href="user/file/16/Release5_February_2012_p4.pdf" title="Mitigation of Methane"></a><a href="user/file/16/Release5_February_2012_p4.pdf" title="Mitigation of Methane"><span class="h6"> of methane NZAGRC</span> <br />
			Release Newsletter - February 2012 </a></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td><img src="user/image/thumb/221/Cow%20Sheep.jpg" border="0" alt="Grazing Sheep and Cows" title="Grazing Sheep and Cows" width="80" height="80" /></td>
			<td><span class="h6">From </span><span class="h6">tiny bottles to grazing <br />
			sheep and cows</span><br />
			Release Newsletter - August 2011</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td><a href="user/file/18/Release2_Apr_2011_p4.pdf" title="Methane rumen"><img src="user/image/thumb/222/Methane%20Rumen.jpg" border="0" alt="Methane Rumen" title="Methane Rumen" width="80" height="80" /></a></td>
			<td><a href="user/file/18/Release2_Apr_2011_p4.pdf" title="Methane rumen"><span class="h6">The methane</span><span class="h6">-free rumen - <br />
			the solution to all problems<br />
			</span>Release Newsletter - April 2011</a> </td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td><a href="user/file/19/Release1_Dec_2010_p5.pdf" title="Technology transfer"><img src="user/image/thumb/219/Screen%20shot%202012-03-21%20at%2012.35.29%20PM.png" border="0" alt="Screen shot 2012-03-21 at 12.35.29 PM.png" title="Screen shot 2012-03-21 at 12.35.29 PM.png" width="80" height="80" /></a></td>
			<td><a href="user/file/19/Release1_Dec_2010_p5.pdf" title="Technology transfer"><span class="h6">Technology transfer could help <br />
			reduce me</span><span class="h6">thane emissions from <br />
			animal waste storage </span><br />
			Release Newsletter - December 2011 &nbsp;</a> </td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<p>
<a name="capability" title="capability"></a><span class="h5"><br />
<font face="Verdana" size="2" class="h5" color="#58595b">Linkages</font></span> 
</p>
<p>
AnimalCHANGE <br />
CSIRO Livestock Industries <br />
DPI Queensland&nbsp; <br />
Global Research Alliance <br />
Landcare Research<br />
NIWA<br />
PGgRc<br />
Scottish Agricultural College<br />
SLMACC<br />
US Joint Genome Initative 
</p>
