4 April 2023 – The UK Government considers whether to give British cows methane blocking drugs to bring down greenhouse gas emissions and help achieve the country’s climate targets.
The agricultural sector is a big contributor to the emission of greenhouse gases, being responsible for around 10% of the UK’s total emissions, according to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
There are 9.4 million cattle and calves in the UK, who release methane through belching and their manure. Methane is one of the greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming and climate change.
It is estimated that worldwide farm animals, including cows, are responsible for 14% of human-induced emissions. To reduce these emissions the Government is now considering giving cows methane blocking drugs. This could help the UK to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Why Methane Is So Bad
Like carbon dioxide, methane is a greenhouse gas. And it’s one of the main contributors to forming ground-level ozone, which is an air pollutant.
Methan warms our atmosphere 80 times more than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, studies have shown. It is estimated that methane accounts for about 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times.
As such, methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. During COVID lockdowns in 2020, carbon dioxide emissions were reduced. But methane emissions increased drastically.
However, another difference between carbon dioxide and methane is that methane breaks down much quicker. It only takes around a decade, compared to hundreds to thousands of years for carbon dioxide.
This means that reducing methane emissions will have an impact much faster, which is vital if we want to keep the surface temperature of the planet to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Because the farming industry is responsible for about 47% of the UK’s methane emissions, it’s a good place to cut emissions.
How The Methane Blocking Drugs Work
While methane blocking drugs are not yet available in the UK, the Government is planning to encourage farmers to use them once they are. It is expected that these drugs will become available in the UK in 2025.
Well-managed livestock can provide various environmental benefits and we plan to encourage the uptake of high efficacy methane suppressing products once they reach the UK market.
Spokesperson, UK Government
Methane is produced in cattle and other hooved animals by enzymes in their stomachs as they digest their food. The majority of the gas is then released by burping and farting, which accounts for 70%. The remaining 30% is in the animals’ excrements and is released through storing and applying the manure.
The suppressants restrain these enzymes, keeping them from producing methane. They can consist of natural ingredients, such as seaweed or garlic, or chemicals.
In order to make the methane blockers available to UK farmers, they have to be assessed by the Food Standards Agency. Animal welfare, food safety risks, wider risks to the environment and workers and efficiency will have to be taken into account before a licence will be given, according to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
Mixed Reactions To Government Plan
The farming industry recognises that methane emissions need to be reduced and is aware that cattle and other farm animals are the main contributor. There is excitement about methane suppressants, but also some apprehension.
This technology is still in the early stages and it has been suggested that the methane suppressants could have an impact on the effectiveness of feeds. More research is still needed into this, the deputy president of the NFU said.
The use of these blockers would also involve additional costs for farmers, as they would have to buy them. Many farmers already struggle with high costs for feed and fertilisers.
As a result, farmers will only be able to use these suppressants if they have financial incentives and rewards, the NFU suggests.
Not everyone was enthusiastic about the new plan. The Government’s reliance on new and unproven technologies to achieve its climate goals has been criticised before. After the Government released its net-zero strategy, a group of 700 scientists criticised the emphasis on carbon capture and storage. Another technology yet to prove itself at scale.
Sustain, an alliance of organisations promoting better food and farming, has also criticised the Government’s planned use of methane blockers.
Governments and industry love their techno fixes like cattle feed methane suppressants and these may help a bit. But they won’t fix the major harms associated with our huge livestock fixation, from rainforest clearance for feeds and pasture to UK river pollution and harm to wildlife, all of which inhibit action on climate, too.
Vicki Hird, Head of Farming for Sustain
Rather than feeding cows with methane suppressant, Sustain’s Vicki Hird suggests that we should produce and eat less meat. For many scientists and climate campaigners, a plant-based diet is vital if we want to win the battle against climate change.
