Ireland\u2019s emissions of greenhouse gas from agriculture are among the highest in the world, relatively speaking, but scientists here say that technological solutions are emerging that can provide significant cuts in such gases without resorting to drastic culling of herd numbers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agriculture and land use in Ireland produces 37.1% of the country\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions; higher than the global average of around 25%. Most emissions from global agriculture \u2013 about 60 per cent \u2013 arise from digestion inside the stomachs of livestock. It is there that microbes slowly break down the grasses and other foods consumed by ruminant animals, which produces the greenhouse gas, methane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientists are researching strategies to reduce animal methane emissions produced through this digestive action. Gary Lanigan, a research officer with Teagasc, is looking at the merits of a range of scientific means to reduce agricultural emissions. \u201cWe\u2019ve been looking at adding in chemical amendments into slurry,\u201d says Lanigan, \u201cacidifying the slurry reduces methane emissions successfully, actually, we see about a 90 per cent reduction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research studies have also shown that a chemical called 3-NOP (3-nitrooxypropanol) has great potential to reduce emissions of methane from dairy cows. The chemical works by disrupting an enzyme in the rumen needed to produce methane. The emissions are thus stopped at source, inside the animal\u2019s stomach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n