Kangaroo-gate: scientists to breed fart-free sheep

I wonder how many millions of Australian dollars have been, or will be, flushed down the drain as a response to Ross Garnaut's claims that we should abandon sheep and cattle and farm kangaroo instead, to reduce emissions. The farming industry has gone into overdrive to rebut those claims (see previous posts here and here) and is having to divert already scarce resources into completely unnecessary research in order to do so. And now the wool industry is getting in on the act as well, focussing on genetic modifications to reduce emissions.

Cooperative Research Centre professor James Rowe says one element is to look at the genetic variation of animals. He says this may help breeders select sheep that produce less gas.

"The genetic angle is brand new, nobody has successfully looked at the genetic variation," he said.

Professor Rowe says researches will try and select sheep that produce less methane gas, while still producing quality wool.

Read it here.