Scientists study ways of reducing livestock methane emissions

WELLINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand and Australian scientists will jointly investigate ways of reducing the impact of livestock methane emissions by finding out more about the digestive processes in the rumen of livestock, a government minister said on Tuesday.

The first ever collaborative project between the Livestock Industries Division of Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Livestock Industries (CLI) and New Zealand's biggest Crown Research Institute, AgResearch, will jointly fund the research which will see the appointment of two new post-doctoral scientists, one in each organization.

"The Labour-led government recognizes that research and innovation go hand in hand, but research also requires investment. The revenue generated by the nine Crown Research Institutes is of the magnitude of 600 million NZ dollars.(480 million U.S. dollars)," New Zealand Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgsonthe minister said.

"The key to this research is to better understand the digestive processes of livestock and gain more efficiency in their nutrition thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. I am very supportive of this work," said Hodgson.

CLI and AgResearch are providing funding to support the two post-doctoral scientists for two years, including funding to facilitate communication and travel between the two research teams.