A new study has found that individual dairy cows remain consistently high or low methane emitters even when their diets change, suggesting that biological differences may play a greater role in methane production than previously understood. Researchers observed that feeding lactating dairy cows a higher-starch diet reduced enteric methane emissions by approximately 14%, but it did not alter the relative ranking of cows as high or low methane emitters.
The findings indicate that while dietary interventions can lower overall methane emissions, individual animals consistently maintain their emission profiles across different feeding regimes. Researchers believe this consistency could support future breeding programmes aimed at selecting naturally low-methane-emitting cattle, complementing nutritional strategies for greenhouse gas reduction.
The study highlights that combining genetic selection with dietary management could provide a more effective long-term approach to reducing the environmental footprint of dairy farming while maintaining production efficiency. (Bovine Veterinarian)
Source: Dairynews7x7 27 July, 2026 Read full story here
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