TIA Future Forum - Reducing livestock methane: technologies, farm systems and practical solutions

Reducing livestock methane: technologies, farm systems and practical opportunities

Methane has around 30 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over 100 years, kilogram for kilogram. Human-caused methane emissions are responsible for roughly 30% of global warming since pre-industrial times, making sustained methane reductions an important opportunity to slow warming over the coming decades. (epa.gov, unep.org)

Livestock are central to this opportunity. Methane produced during digestion in cattle and sheep is the largest source of Australia’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Finding practical ways to reduce these emissions requires careful consideration of animal performance, farm profitability and how different approaches fit within commercial farming systems. (utas.edu.au)

Research is exploring a range of approaches, including pastures with the potential to reduce methane emissions, rumen modifiers and other feed technologies, alongside improvements in herd and flock management and feed quality. Some approaches target methane production directly, while others improve production efficiency and reduce emissions per kilogram of meat or milk. Their value depends on how they affect total farm emissions, productivity and profitability, and whether they can be applied effectively in practice. (fao.org, utas.edu.au)

Join researchers from the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) for a webinar showcasing our research, development and extension in practices and technologies for reducing livestock methane emissions.

Friday 20 November 2026 | 1–2 pm AEDT (Tasmanian time) | Online

Our speakers

• Associate Professor Richard Rawnsley – Technologies and practices for reducing enteric methane. Richard will introduce established and emerging approaches, including feed technologies and livestock management practices, and discuss the evidence, practical considerations and potential applications across livestock production systems.

• Dr Apeh Omede – The potential of pastures and rumen modifiers. Apeh will explore research into pastures and rumen modifiers that could reduce methane production during digestion, considering their potential benefits, implications for animal performance and suitability for grazing livestock systems.

• Dr Karen Christie-Whitehead – Understanding the whole-farm implications. Karen will explore modelling scenarios with different assumed reductions in livestock methane and examine what these could mean for net farm greenhouse gas emissions, productivity and profitability. Her presentation will highlight how outcomes depend on the farming system and the assumptions used.

• Mr Rohan Borojevic – Connecting research with on-farm practice. Rohan will showcase TIA’s research, development and extension activities, including how this work supports producers and advisers in understanding the evidence and assessing practical opportunities for methane mitigation.

Hosted by Professor Matthew Harrison, the webinar will include four 10-minute presentations, audience polls at the beginning and end, and a 10-minute Q&A with the speakers.

Please reserve the hour and join us to explore the evidence, discuss practical considerations and learn what livestock methane mitigation could mean for your farm, research or advisory work.