Breeding better beef and sheep: co-designed breeding strategies to achieve net zero

This project aims to help UK beef and sheep farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by making better breeding decisions. Many farmers face unclear guidance on how to lower emissions, slowing progress. By reviewing global breeding methods and collecting data from 20 case study farms across the UK, the project will identify practical and affordable breeding strategies to cut emissions. Each farm will undergo a carbon footprint analysis to assess the impact of these changes. By working closely with farmers and stakeholders, the project will develop solutions that support farmers in reaching net zero GHG emissions by 2050.

Project lead: Katharina Watson (Royal Agricultural University)

Project co-lead: Lisa Morgans (Royal Agricultural University)

Project collaborators: Russ Thomas (Hybu Cig Cymru/Meat Promotion Wales), Edward Smith (The Texel Sheep Society), Non Williams  (Mentera), Robert Gilchrist (Aberdeen Angus Society), Sarah Miller (Quality Meat Scotland), Shannon McLaughlin (Queen’s University Belfast), Sarah Morgan (Harper Adams University), Shailesh Shrestha (Scottish Rural College), Maud Helwegen (University of Bristol)

Findings

1. There is a genuine desire amongst farmers to reduce emissions on their farms, but factors such as economics, farming system, agricultural policy changes and animal welfare must be considered.
2. There is limited direct scientific evidence of how breeding strategies could help achieve net zero.
3. Data plays an important part in beef and sheep breeding, but is often not easily accessible due to commercial reasons. Data is fragmented by breed, across devolved nations and hence there is inequality of availability.
4. Genetics (EBVs, GEBVs and Indexes) and data-driven breeding decisions are likely to play a crucial role in reducing emissions and are already used by a proportion of the industry.
5. There is however an uptake and implementation gap, as many farms still rely on traditional breeding methods.
   

Suggestions for further research

1. Address the implementation gap/farmer adoption of breeding strategies such as performance recording and using genetic data to make breeding decisions.
2. How to use breeding data more efficiently and transparently.
3. Continue R&D on commercially available emissions reduction traits.
4. Further research on how breeding strategies can contribute to net zero that also includes co-development with farmers to ensure that these are adoptable as well as systems thinking.