Project name: GEEBovMit – LA 3.1 – Mitigation of GHG emissions in beef cattle production – pastures, forages and natural additives

Area(s) of intervention: Environment and Natural Resources | Food Security | Animal Production |

Flagship initiative(s): Climate change mitigation

Strategic unit: Animal Production and Health

Project code: PRR-C05-i03-I-000027-LA3.1

Funding program: RRP - Recovery and Resilience Plan

Measure: RE-C05-i03 – RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND AGROINDUSTRY

Total budget: 197.394,39€

seaExpert budget: 7.416,26€

Co-financing: 100%

Start date: 2022/04/01

Conclusion date: 2025/09/30

Project lead entity: National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research, IP

Partnership: 

• National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research, IP - Coordinating Entity
• Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Lisbon
• Association of the Higher Technical Institute for Research and Development (IST-ID)
• seaExpert - Fisheries Services and Consultancy, Ltd.
• Terraprima - Agricultural Society, Ltd.
• Terraprima – Environmental Services, Ltd.

General objective: Reducing GHG emissions from livestock and agricultural practices.

Specific objectives: 

• To evaluate the efficacy of lipid supplements rich in volatile halogenated compounds (CHG) from the seaweed Asparagopsis taxiformis in methanogenesis in in vitro models and under production conditions.
• The aim is to evaluate the impact of the supplements on animal welfare and health, ruminal metabolism and the quality of the products (game and meat) obtained.

Activities and expected results:

• In vitro tests will be carried out with the aim of determining the effect of increasing doses of CHG required on methanogenesis and thus determining the doses to be used in tests with production animals.
• Trials will be carried out with ruminants in the finishing phase, to evaluate the effect of supplements on production parameters, methane emissions, animal welfare and health, chemical composition and quality of the final products obtained – carcasses and meat.
• It is expected to find an effective way of including CHG in diets that allows maintaining the expected production levels for animals in production, without disturbing the welfare of the animals and maintaining the quality of the products, with a reduction in slaughter emissions of over 40%.