Use of Residual Feed Intake as an Indirect Selection Trait for Reduction of Methane Emissions in Grazing Beef Cattle

Abstract

In Australia, cattle are the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector. A short-fed domestic selection index has been used to predict the genetic gain in beef cattle traits using methane production and/or feed intake as selection criteria with various assumed carbon prices. Indirect selection for reduced methane emissions via feed intake was predicted to be more cost effective than direct measurement via methane emissions.