Agriculture

Irishman leads the way in New Zealand’s drive to produce methane livestock vaccine

John Roche from Co Kerry is advising the government in Wellington on technologies including a possible methane vaccine for cattle and sheep

John Roche, chief science adviser at New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries: ‘Agriculture accounts for almost 50 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand’

An Irish man, who serves as a climate science expert to the New Zealand government, has said the country plans to invest more than €200 million in research into new technologies including a potential methane vaccine for cattle and sheep.

John Roche, who now works as chief science adviser at New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, said the research will focus on technologies such as methane inhibitors for livestock, low methane animal genetics and even ...