Semi-finalists announced in cattle methane reduction challenge

Thirteen semi-finalists were announced today in a federal challenge to come up with economically viable and scalable methane-reduction practices for beef and dairy cattle.

The Agricultural Methane Reduction Challenge was announced back in November, and received 86 applications, both Canadian and international, a federal news release said.

The semi-finalists will receive up to $153,846 and will move on to the prototype development phase of the challenge. Finalists will be chosen next spring.

The semi-finalists are:

• AbacusBio’s entry is a tool that selects beef sires based on predicted progeny enteric methane footprint.
• Agropur proposed a feed strategy that uses a dry-extrusion, linseed-based feed ingredient for dairy cow rations.
• Ample Agriculture is developing a feed additive that reduces methane-producing organisms in the rumen.
• ArkeaBio is developing a vaccine to reduce enteric methane production.
• Mon Systeme Fourrager is working on a “decision support tool” for forage systems to help producers adopt methane-reducing strategies.
• Pond Technologies uses a feed additive that reduces methane emissions and makes more energy from feed available to cattle, leading to faster growth or more milk production.
• Semex proposes to develop a breeding protocol and incentive strategy for farmers to incorporate selection for low methane genetics into their breeding programs, and to measure, record and verify methane reductions over time.
• Sustainable Bio Security Inc. uses ozone to decrease methane production through “improving the overall health in dairy farms.”
• TerraWave Radar Solutions uses radio waves to monitor soil quality to identify richer soil areas for optimized grazing.
• Université Laval uses biofiltration, which involves passing exhaust air through an organic substrate to turn methane into carbon dioxide and water vapour.
• WaterPuris uses textile ECG sensors and oxygenated nanobubble water technology to improve overall animal health.
• University of Saskatchewan is evaluating the impact of identifying and selecting genetic traits that allow cattle to eat and digest more fibre while potentially producing less methane.
• University of Saskatchewan is also evaluating various products delivered through drinking water systems as a practical method to reduce enteric emissions in beef cattle grazing systems.