Genetics may answer methane riddle

Feb 20, 2023

WESTERN PRODUCER — A dairy industry group plans to study methane emissions to find genetic traits in cattle that will reduce greenhouse gases while not cutting production.

Lactanet Canada is expected to launch its methane efficiency program in April, adding the genetic trait to its portfolio in evaluating Holstein dairy cattle.

Brian Van Doormaal, chief services officer with Lactanet, said the initiative is in line with the Dairy Farmers of Canada goal to reach net-zero greenhouse emissions from farm level dairy production by 2050.

Canadian researchers have been tracking methane emissions from dairy cattle for more than five years.

Raw data was collected from 500 cows that were part of a Canadian research herd. Researchers at the University of Guelph found they could predict methane emission patterns from dairy cattle without the need to collect the methane, said Doormaal.

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Video: Same Grit, New Name: A Conversation with Ryan Calistro of Bower Ag

Swine Leaders Live, we sit down with Ryan Calistro, President of Bower Ag, to discuss a major brand transition in the ag construction and solutions space—and what it means for swine producers. Bower Ag represents a new, unified identity, bringing together Ag Property Solutions, Dairy Specialists, and The Dairy Solutions Group under one name. But as Ryan explains, this isn’t about change for the sake of change—it’s about strengthening what already works and delivering more value to producers.

We dive into:

• What Bower Ag is and why the transition was made

• What stays the same for longtime customers

• How combining multiple businesses creates new opportunities for producers

• What today’s producers are asking for—and how Bower Ag is responding

• Key insights heading into World Pork Expo

If you’ve worked with APS before—or are evaluating partners for your next project—this conversation provides a clear look at where Bower Ag is headed and how they’re positioning themselves for the future.