Millions spent on mission to breed sheep that burp and fart much less
Need to know
Scientists want to stop farmyard creatures from producing so much methane, which researchers warn is having a devastating effect on the climate
FIRST: Dolly the Sheep was the cloned originally(Image:
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NEED TO KNOW: Boffins get £3m to stop sheep farting and burping to save planet
- Scientists are desperately trying to stop sheep from farting and burping to save the planet from climate change.
- The Welsh Government has handed boffins £3 million over three years to find ways to cut methane emissions from farmyard animals. Sheep belch and fart out the greenhouse gas due to how their stomachs work.
- The Welsh Sheep Genetics Programme will use DNA tests to find sheep that burp, fart and get worms less. They plan to breed these specially selected animals to create flocks that are better for farmers and the environment.
- But critics have slammed the scheme, with the TaxPayers’ Alliance saying families will feel “well and truly fleeced”. Jonathan Eida from the group said: “Hard-pressed families expect their money to be spent on fixing roads and cutting waiting lists, not on expensive eco-experiments to stop sheep from burping.”
- Deputy first minister Huw Irranca Davies defended the research as showing “what is possible when cutting edge science meets the proud tradition of Welsh livestock farming”. He said it would help farmers build “profitable, resilient businesses while delivering on our climate ambitions.”
- The programme aims to develop “breeding for worm resistance and breeding for reduced methane emissions” to strengthen food security.
- READ THE FULL STORY: Millions being spent on how to breed sheep that don’t burp or fart in bid to save planet
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