An increasing focus on agriculture’s role in meeting national and global environmental targets, particularly those around methane reduction, highlights the need for continued international cooperation in research and development work.
It is well understood that climate change is a global problem and requires global solutions, says Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates.
“As a result of the Texel Sheep Society’s long-standing collaborative involvement in multi-national research and development projects, the breed is well placed to provide long-term breeding solutions.”
“Global cooperation between breeders, as already being undertaken by Texel breeders, in partnership with SRUC, for multiple research projects that have included the GrassToGas, Sustain Sheep and now the Global Methane Initiative-funded CleanBreeding projects, has proven vital.”
The GrassToGas project, which included researchers and breeders in the UK, France, Ireland, Norway, Uruguay, Turkey and New Zealand and included Texel breed genetics across many of those research groups, showed that genetic selection for lower methane emissions would have a direct favourable mitigation impact, with an estimation that the maximum potential for the UK industry, through various measures would be about 27%, with a realistic goal being 12-15%.
Meanwhile, the Sustain Sheep project, a collaboration between the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, France, Norway and Uruguay found there was a difference of more than 30% in methane emissions from the progeny of different sires, with genetics accounting for 17% of methane variation.
Mr Yates added that, as recognised in the recently launched Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap, facilitated by AHDB, there were undoubtedly other quicker fix mitigations available to sheep farmers both in the UK and across the globe, with changes to forage type identified as the most beneficial, along with improving flock health and welfare and optimising grazing management which all support reduced artificial fertiliser use.
“The Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap makes clear that the impact of breeding is moderate, with the drive needed for increased legume and grass mixes to help reduce fertiliser use and optimise liveweight gains.
“Additionally, the Roadmap makes clear that, when it comes to breeding, improvements in core commercial traits offer considerably more advantages than breeding specifically for low emissions.
Mr Yates added that this has been recognised, with the Society’s long-term breeding strategy focused on improving efficiency by enhancing economically important traits, including growth rate, meat yield, and genetic resistance to health-related traits.
“Importantly, breeding for improved animal performance and, over time, reduced methane emissions is one of the few interventions capable of delivering permanent and cumulative gains. However, any breeding objective must also provide a clear economic benefit to the livestock keeper, balancing profitability with environmental impact where this can be achieved in a practical and affordable way.”
“This is an area where the Society has demonstrated leadership through long-term investment and public benefit through the publishing of breed performance information on iTexel.uk. The Texel breed’s popularity means it is already providing solutions to farms across the UK and globally. Fast growing terminal sire lambs, that maintain profitability and reduce the carbon footprint per kilogram of lamb produced, are available now!”
The work done by Texel breeders across the globe in recent decades to improve overall performance, including increased growth rates and lean meat yields have already set the breed ahead of many others.
“Faster growth and higher lean meat yields both impact on greenhouse gas emissions by reducing days to slaughter and increasing meat yield per livestock unit,” explained Mr Yates.
“Genetic gains in the UK Texel population over the last 15 years mean that lambs sired by a Texel sire with an average performance ranking have the capability to finish 10 days earlier than lambs by a similarly ranked sire from 2011, with significant value provided when selecting higher ranked animals.
“This reinforces that any focus on breeding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must not come at the expense of the productivity gains achieved over previous decades or those still to come. Equally, any new breeding tool must be underpinned by a clear commercial driver, deliver a measurable economic return, and provide practical, cost-effective benefits for livestock keepers.”
“While it is possible to measure for the methane emissions from livestock and environmental breeding indexes can easily be made available, the lack of clear economic drivers for pedigree breeders or commercial producers to engage in this area limits its value and likely adoption at any realistic scale and positive impact on UK industry.”