Hilda the calf may look like any other cow in the herd – but her genes have been modified to stop the release of harmful greenhouse gases when burping and breaking wind.
Described as a ‘hugely significant’ moment for the UK dairy industry, Hilda was born using IVF to produce a much greener type of cattle which emit less methnane.
Cows are notoriously gassy, and the methane produced through their burps warms the atmosphere 28 times more than carbon dioxide.
As cattle produce around 5 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions – researchers have been racing to come up with ways to reduce their impact.
The quest for cattle which produce less gas can now be sped up as using IVF meant Hilda arrived eight months earlier than previously possible using conventional breeding techniques.
Hilda is part of the Dumfries-based Langhill herd which has been studied for more than half a century.
The Cool Cows project, of which Hilda is a part, involves genetic selection of cattle who produce less methane.
To create Hilda, eggs were taken from Hilda’s mother and fertilised with sperm were taken from specially selected bulls.
Hilda the calf may look like any other cow in the herd – but her genes have been modified to stop the release of harmful greenhouse gases when burping and breaking wind
Hilda was born using IVF to produce a much greener type of cattle which emit less methnane
The embryo was produced in the laboratory and replaced in Hilda’s mother.
Professor Richard Dewhurst, from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), which is one of the partners in the project, said: ‘With global consumption of dairy produce continuing to grow, breeding livestock for sustainability is extremely important.
‘The birth of Hilda is potentially a hugely significant moment for the UK dairy industry.
‘We will use a new genomic assessment alongside existing production and environmental efficiency indices to select elite, methane-efficient heifers for breeding.
‘The Cool Cows project will produce a greater number of offspring from these donors, rapidly establishing a nucleus of highly methane-efficient calves..’
The Langhill Herd, which was first established in the early 1970s, is the focus of the Langhill breeding study, the world’s longest-running livestock genetics project.
Hilda is part of the Dumfries-based Langhill herd which has been studied for more than half a century
To create Hilda, eggs were taken from Hilda’s mother and fertilised with sperm were taken from specially selected bulls
The herd has been used in a number of studies into the greenhouse gas emissions associated with dairy production, including around the effects of different diets, and the impact of different fertilisers on grasslands.
Rob Simmons from the Paragon Veterinary Group, another partner in the project, said genetically improving the ‘methane efficiency’ of dairy cows was ‘key’ to improving the sustainability of the sector.
‘Genetic improvement in methane efficiency is going to be key to continuing to provide nutritious food to the public, while controlling the impact of methane emissions on the environment in the future.’
