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Project Code [364]
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Project title
RumenPredict: Predicting appropriate GHG mitigation strategies based on modelling variables that contribute to ruminants
Primary Funding Agency
Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine
Co-Funding Organisation(s)
ERAGas Partners
Project Abstract
Ruminant production is responsible for ~ 9% of anthropogenic CO2 emission and 37% of CH4 emissions. Release of methane results in 6-12% less energy being available to the animal. Ruminants also contribute towards NO2 within the environment, a persistent gas in the atmosphere which has 296 times more warming potential than CO2. RumenPredict brings together members of the international Rumen Microbial Genomics network of which the Hungate 1000 (focussed on sequencing 1000 rumen microbes) and the Rumen Census (focussed on evaluating effects of diet, host genetics and geographical location on the rumen microbiome). RumenPredict will bring the data available linking diet, genetics and rumen microbiome to environmental outputs into a database which can be modelled.� Rumen microbial diversity will be assessed using rRNA.� Metagenomics/transcriptomics will�identify gene predictors of environmental output to be assigned. Using this information we can predict environmental output of the animals assessed within the Rumen Census and suggest which mitigation strategies may be best implemented in certain geographical areas or upon feeding particular diets and also linked to host genetics and integrated into already established breeding programmes in Ireland and internationally.�This proposal is consistent with SHARP and Food Wise 2025.
Grant Approved
�244,418.07
Research Theme
Carbon Stocks, GHG Emissions, Sinks and Management Options
Initial Projected Completion Date
31/08/2020