Climate Smart Beef Genetics - Innovative approaches to the reduce environmental impact of the UK beef supply chain

Beef farmers could breed cattle that burp less methane, cutting emissions by up to 17% per generation through genetic selection focused on the animals’ rumen microbes. This matters because UK beef production is a significant source of greenhouse gases, and the industry faces pressure to meet national carbon reduction targets without simply shrinking the herd. Current breeding programmes largely ignore the microbes living in a cow’s rumen, even though those microbes produce methane as they digest feed. Genus and SRUC have shown that selecting for cattle with a more efficient rumen microbiome can also improve feed conversion by up to 15% per generation—meaning animals grow faster on less feed, which cuts costs and emissions together. If the approach scales, the impact is concrete and cumulative. A conservatively estimated 10% reduction in emissions from Genus-influenced animals alone would remove 337,000 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent per year in the UK, and that reduction would become permanent and increase as genetic improvement continues. For supply chain stakeholders—processors, retailers, and ultimately consumers—this offers a practical lever to decarbonise beef without redesigning the entire system.