Methane vaccine
The NZAGRC is a long-standing supporter of this work and continues its work as a funding partner with AgriZeroNZ to achieve a world-first of turning the vaccine’s research legacy into a safe and effective tool for farmers.
Current projects
| Project title | Lead organisation/s |
|---|---|
| Accelerate development of a vaccine to significantly reduce methane emissions from ruminant animals | Lucidome Bio |
Overview
A successful methane vaccine would trigger an animal's immune system to generate antibodies in saliva that suppress the growth and function of methane-producing microbes (methanogens) in the rumen.
image of a methanogen in the rumen
A vaccine is a highly desirable tool for reducing enteric methane emissions because it requires no farm system changes, is used infrequently, leaves no residues in products and is applicable to all ruminant farm animals.
Development of a vaccine involves:
- Production of a prototype vaccine that shows efficacy in respiration chambers to reduce methane emissions from either sheep or cattle
- Further development of a vaccine that targets a reduction in methane emission in sheep and cattle of at least 20% without affecting production
- Delivery of an effective vaccine to the New Zealand market.
The NZAGRC is supporting work to accelerate the development of a prototype vaccine. To date, vaccination trials in sheep have not successfully reduced methane emissions. However, in vitro research has demonstrated that:
- A vaccine can produce sufficiently high levels of antibodies in the saliva of sheep
- These antibodies will bind onto the corresponding cell components (antigens) of methanogens in the rumen fluid, and have an effect on those cells
- Many antigens are common to the different species and strains of methanogen
- Antibodies will bind onto these antigens across the full range of target methanogen species, within the rumen fluid.
The story so far
