** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** RUMINANT-BASED AGRICULTURE IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO FEEDING THE INCREASING POPULATION. HOWEVER, RUMINANT AGRICULTURE IS ALSO ONE OF THE MAJOR SOURCES METHANE, A POTENTGREENHOUSEAND CONTRIBUTER TO CLIMATE CHANGE. MICROBIAL METHANE PRODUCTIONIN RUMINANTS IS INFLUENCED BY MANY FACTORS MOST NOTABLY ANIMAL GENETICS, DIET, AND THE GUT MICROBES. HOWEVER, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF MICROBIAL PROCESSES WITHIN RUMINANTS ACROSS GENE POOLS AND IN DIET COMBINATIONS THAT LEAD TO METHANE PRODUCTION OR INHIBITION IS LIMITED. THEREFORE, UNDERSTANDING FACTORS AND PROCESSES THAT UNDERPIN MICROBIALLY MEDIATED METHANE CHANGES, AND ASSOCIATED INTERACTIONS IS CRITICAL TOWARDS MITIGATING METHANE EMISSIONS. THIS PROPOSAL ATTEMPTS TO UNDERSTAND GENETIC, MANAGEMENT, DIET, AND MICROBIAL RELATIONSHIPS TO DEVELOP SCIENCE-BASED DIETARY AND MANAGEMENT INTERVENTION STRATEGIES TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION FROM CATTLE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS APPLICATION PLANS TO DEVELOP NOVEL MICROBIOME STRATEGIES BASED ON MICROBIAL COLONIZATION IN THE GUT OF CATTLE. THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER RESEARCH FINDINGS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO REDUCE METHANE PRODUCTION IN DAIRY AND BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS TO EFFECT CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT THROUGH OUTREACH. THIS WORK IS EXPECTED TO TRANSLATE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT AND MICROBIOME ESTABLISHMENT STRATEGIES THAT REDUCE METHANE EMISSION AND ESTABLISH AN NETWORK THAT WILL IMPROVE THE CAPACITY NATIONWIDE TO EDUCATE STAKEHOLDER CONCERNS AND PROVIDE TOOLS AND MATERIAL THAT WILL HELP PRODUCERS TO ASSESS AND ADOPT PRACTICES THAT MITIGATE METHANE EMISSION.
$5,000,000FY2024National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
Board Of Regents Of The University Of Nebraska