Project summary
Objective
Investigate the effectiveness of selected pasture species and mixes in reducing methane emissions while maintaining or improving animal performance. The project will quantify methane reductions, identify plant compounds linked to emissions, and develop agronomic packages for adoption.
Timeline
2025 – 2028
Investment
The CRC will co-invest $2.78 million over three years.
Program lead
Vicki Lane
Overview
Feedbase Solutions to Reduce Enteric Methane in Southern Australia, is a three-year research project focused on developing safe, cost-effective solutions for reducing emissions from extensive livestock systems across southern Australia. It will test pasture species and mixes that contain anti-methanogenic compounds, improve pasture yield and persistence, and enhance livestock productivity. Trials will be conducted in NSW, SA, and WA using grazing demonstrations on research stations and commercial farms.
Program
This project is being completed as part of Program 1: Low Emissions Plant Solutions
Details
Importance
With 95% of Australia’s ruminants grazing pastures, feed-based solutions are critical for large-scale methane reduction. This project supports national carbon accounting and complements other CRC initiatives targeting emissions from livestock.
Impact
Expected outcomes include:
- Up to 20% reduction in methane emissions
- 15% increase in pasture yield
- 10% increase in liveweight gain
- Potential economic value of $389 million at $29/t CO₂-e
Project Team
The project is led by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, with contributions from WA DPIRD, SARDI, UWA, and industry partners. The team includes pasture agronomists, livestock scientists, and technical specialists.
Pathways to Adoption
Results will be shared through open-source licensing (Creative Commons CC-BY) to maximise industry uptake. Adoption will be supported by seed companies, agronomists, and CRC demonstration sites.
PhDs
One PhD student will be enrolled at UWA, supervised by Dr Zoey Durmic, and linked to the Katanning demonstration site.
