Low-Methane Genetics in Angus: Where the Research Stands

Can you breed cattle that belch less methane? Researchers in Australia are working on exactly that, and Angus cattle are part of the study herds. The idea has real appeal: unlike a feed additive that must be fed every day, a genetic change is permanent and builds from one generation to the next. But the research is early, and a careful producer needs to separate what has been shown from what has been hoped for.

What is happening in the research

The work is known as the Low Methane Beef project, led by the University of New England with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Meat and Livestock Australia. Beef Central reported that it began in 2022 and uses GreenFeed technology to measure methane and carbon dioxide from genotyped cattle, including Angus steers and animals from a southern multi-breed project. Methane is studied alongside growth, fertility, feed intake and carcass traits so researchers can see how they interact.

A later Beef Central report described the first release of genomic Research Breeding Values for methane. The project had recorded methane output from about 5,000 animals. Lower values indicate animals expected to produce offspring that emit less methane than the current average. The report was clear on the limits: the values are early versions, currently apply to animals within the project groups, and will become full Estimated Breeding Values only once a routine evaluation pipeline for methane is built.

Why this is not yet a buying tool

If you are shopping for a bull in the United States or elsewhere, you will not find a methane EPD in the catalog today. A research value is a starting point. To become a trusted number, it has to be validated on many more animals, tested for accuracy, and shown not to hurt traits you depend on. Those reports did not publish data on how methane selection affects growth or feed efficiency, so any claim that you can lower methane for free is premature.

That matters because of the first rule of selection: every trait you push on pulls on others. Chasing one number without watching the rest is how herds end up with problems at calving or poor fertility. Our guide to reading an EPD sheet explains how to keep a balanced view.

It also helps to understand how a breeding value is built. Researchers measure an animal, compare it with relatives, and use DNA markers to estimate how much of the difference is inherited. The more animals measured, the better the estimate. Methane is harder to measure than weaning weight, since it needs special equipment and time per animal, which is why only a few thousand animals have been recorded so far. Building a large enough database takes years, not months.

Another caution is that methane per day and methane per pound of beef are different measures. An animal that eats less may emit less per day yet still be inefficient if it grows slowly. Researchers therefore look at both the gas measurement and productivity, and any commercial value will need to be interpreted the same way.

The link between efficiency and emissions

There is one connection producers can already act on. Methane is partly a product of how much feed an animal eats and how well it converts that feed. Cattle that gain well on less feed, breed back on time and wean heavy calves tend to produce less methane for each pound of beef. So selecting for feed efficiency, fertility and growth, which many Angus breeders already do, points in the same direction while the dedicated methane tools mature.

A DNA test can help here. As explained in our piece on genomic testing in Angus, genomic information sharpens accuracy on young animals. When methane values reach routine use, herds that already genotype and keep performance records will be better placed to use them.

Producers who market beef under a sustainability story should also think about proof. A claim about lower emissions is only as strong as the records behind it, so herds that track calving, weaning, feed and carcass data now will be ready for audits and buyer questions later. Good records have never gone out of style, and they are the cheapest preparation available.

What to do now

• Keep selecting for the basics. Fertility, growth, carcass and efficiency do the heavy lifting.
• Record and submit performance data. Evaluations improve only when producers contribute good records.
• Genotype key animals. It builds the data you will want later.
• Watch the source. Follow announcements from the breed association and evaluation service for your country rather than marketing claims.
• Ask for evidence. If a seller advertises a low-methane sire, ask what the number means, how accurate it is and what it was validated against.

Consumers and buyers

For beef buyers, the practical takeaway is modest. Genetics is one lever among several, along with feed additives, forage quality and herd management. No label today guarantees a low-methane steak, and a program making that claim should be able to explain how it measured it. The Beef Research site gathers industry-funded research on sustainability if you want to read further.

For a wider look at how sound genetics supports profit, see farm.fm's page on Angus cattle genetics for quality and profitability, and use agriculture.directory to find breeders and services near you.

Research status changes quickly. Check current releases from the relevant breed association and evaluation service. This site is independent and is not affiliated with Certified Angus Beef or the American Angus Association.