Australian innovators push ‘go’ for first export of reduced methane beef

Commitment between CH4 Global and CirPro (Australia) to pioneer reduced methane cattle production takes another major step forward.

CH4 Global and CirPro (Australia) have signed an agreement that will see the first shipment of Australian ‘reduced methane’ beef exported later this year following successful feedlot trials of CH4 Global’s Methane Tamer supplement in South Australia. 

Both companies have committed to increase commercial supply and offtake of the supplement, a 100 per cent natural asparagopsis seaweed-based product, to enable export demand to be met.

CirPro (Australia) CEO Reg Smyth said the new agreement was signed in the presence of CirPro’s feedlot partners HB Rural and Mort & Co.

“We are joined here today with Heath and Brian Tiller from HB Rural Feedlot, Warnertown, South Australia, who have been with us from the start and supported critical trials of these game-changing supplements. We are excited to also introduce an additional feedlot partner, Charlie Mort from Mort & Co, based in Toowoomba, Queensland who will join us to meet the immediate and future demand for Reduced Methane export beef,” Mr Smyth said.

“Feeding these cows Methane Tamer has ensured that we’ve been able to lower methane emissions and significantly lower the carbon footprint of the beef from these cows to enable consumers to know that they’re doing their bit to bend the climate curve.

“We have shown that feeding cattle Methane Tamer™ at a commercial scale improves efficiency and is 100 per cent safe for the animals, and there is no difference to the beef’s taste.

“There have also been significant benefits to the cattle fed Methane TamerTM, as they’ve achieved the same weight gain as the control group while consuming less feed per day, representing an improvement in feed conversion efficiency of a few per cent over a 100-day period.

“Based on 100 cattle in a feedlot for 100 days, we can eliminate the equivalent GHG emissions of driving a petrol-powered passenger vehicle at least 100 times between Sydney and Perth, or the equivalent amount of carbon sequestered by 1,500 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

“This historic agreement will enable CirPro and its partners to scale to at least 100,000 cattle per day with much of that being to export markets where partners there are seeing an increase demand for low carbon beef products and our focus is to meet that demand.
“While we cannot disclose the first export customers name just yet, the beef will be EU-compliant and meeting their customer-driven demand for sustainably produced meat.”

CH4 Global CEO, Dr Steve Meller, said the company was well on its way to commence large-scale production of the supplement from early 2025.

 “Over the past week I have been overseeing the construction progress of our new EcoPark, which is being built north of Port Lincoln in South Australia. Following the first sod-turning in January this year, we are pushing forward with construction of the EcoPark as fast as possible to meet what we are now seeing as a significant global demand for beef that can demonstrate direct, meaningful methane emissions reductions using an all-natural product in Methane TamerTM and not an extract or a synthetic material,” Dr Meller said.

“The world is moving rapidly to tackle greenhouse gas emissions. The recent Danish announcement to tax livestock emissions is an example of the direct implications for producers, and retailers, who will increasingly be required to source and demonstrate traceability for meat that can prove direct methane reduction.

“Using Methane TamerTM, we are implementing an intensive reduction strategy where we have control over the end-product to ensure consistency of effect, stability of the product and quality of an all-natural product. The product has demonstrated up to 90 per cent methane reduction, but we are supporting claims of 70 per cent reduction to ensure variability in use of product on farms is accounted for. Together with HB Rural and Mort & Co, we will continue to collect data to support the benefits in market.”