Greenhouse gases on farms could be reduced by more than an eighth if there is a better genetic match between bulls and cows, new research suggests.
A study in Ireland of more than 4,000 cattle shows that improved genetics can have knock-on benefits for the environment, including the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 13 per cent.
Farmers have come under pressure to lower the industry's CO2 footprint as the world attempts to transition to a net zero economy in the coming decades.
In Ireland, the government has recently demanded cuts in emissions of up to 25 per cent by 2030, leading to disquiet among some farmers. However, the research offers hope that emissions targets in the sector are achievable.
The research, which was carried out by Anglo Beef Processors (ABP) over a six-year period, examined the weight and age of bulls through cattle-breeding indices on its database.
Cows with a greater genetic match eat less and grow faster, meaning they can be brought to slaughter more quickly and thus produce a lower carbon footprint.
“Improved genetics allows the animals to grow faster through better feed conversion and as a result they are ready for market at a younger age, reducing emissions significantly,” ABP said.
“The findings have the potential to play a significant role in helping Ireland’s agriculture sector reach the targets set out under the Climate Act and are applicable across different beef production systems.”
The data used by the study can also help farmers select more profitable beef calves, which fetch up to €200 ($204) more per carcass in the marketplace.
“It is important to note that there is no extra cost to farmers when they choose bulls with improved genetic traits,” ABP said.
Farmers across Europe have been told that more needs to be done to reduce the carbon footprint in the sector.
Agriculture accounts for about 10 per cent of UK carbon emissions and is key to the nation's net zero ambitions.
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
What She Ate: Six Remarkable Women & the Food That Tells Their Stories
Laura Shapiro
Fourth Estate
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
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What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
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Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Stree
Producer: Maddock Films, Jio Movies
Director: Amar Kaushik
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
