Vaccines aimed at reducing methane emissions from cows and other farm animals could soon be available to New Zealand farmers, with a rollout expected as early as next year.
This development is supported by AgriZero, a government-backed joint venture investing $191 million into research and deployment of methane-reducing solutions.
AgriZero has set targets to cut farm methane emissions by 30% in 2030 and to approach near-zero emissions by 2040.
Chief executive Wayne McNee said the company has made “great progress” since it began three years ago.
The company has acquired stakes in nine firms and funded research for five others, while keeping 77 additional investments under consideration.
Vaccines are considered the “holy grail” due to their low dosage and ease of administration.
AgriZero has focused on reducing two farm animal emissions: methane and nitrous oxide.
Methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming, followed by nitrous oxide as the third.
Cows, sheep, deer, and goats produce methane in their rumens. Since methane is a by-product that is not useful to them, they release it through belching.
They also excrete nitrogen compounds in their urine, which undergo complex microbial processes in the soil, eventually transforming into nitrous oxide.
McNee outlined a plan to introduce two or three options to the market by the end of the decade, with additional offerings expected throughout the 2030s.
The new technology could safeguard New Zealand’s farming exports by meeting increasing overseas demand for sustainably produced food.
Kate Acland, chairperson of Beef + Lamb, said New Zealand’s red meat and dairy farmers are already among the most emissions-efficient producers globally.
Having tools available will be helpful for farmers looking to reduce their emissions. However, there should be no mandates requiring vaccines or treatments.
For Acland, “It’s critical that farmers have choices.”