Abstract:For full list of author affiliations and declarations see end of paper In Australia, 71% of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are enteric methane (CH 4 ), mostly produced by grazing sheep and cattle. Temperate low CH 4 yielding legumes and herbs can mitigate
“…According to TOPSIS, the best alternative is the one geometrically closest to the positive ideal solution and the farthest away from the negative ideal solution. As a technique to implement MCDM, TOPSIS has become a sound mathematical tool capable of guiding ideal solutions to challenging situations [16]. The application of MCDM through TOPSIS has resulted in a more efficient use of resources, improved decisions, and better risk management [22][23][24].…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Several articles, namely Badgery et al [16], Stifkens et al [50], and Mwangi et al [13], investigated a number of legumes and herbs for impact on CH 4 reduction in ruminant diets. Badgery et al [16] found that Biserrula pelecinus has great potential to reduce enteric CH 4 emissions, similarly to clover Trifolium subterraneum.…”
Section: Feed Formulationmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…To address the CH 4 emissions associated with ruminants and to boost production, animal nutrition models have evolved over the past six decades. The majority of research has focused on total mixed-ration diets typical of feedlot cattle, despite 96% of cattle in Australia grazing on pastures, and grazing breeding females constituting the largest source of CH 4 emissions in Australian agriculture [14][15][16][17].…”
Although Australia remains committed to the Paris Agreement and to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, it was late in joining the 2021 Global Methane Pledge. Finding suitable methane (CH4) mitigation solutions for Australia’s livestock industry should be part of this journey. Based on a 2020–2023 systematic literature review and multicriteria decision approach, this study analyses the available strategies for the Australian beef and dairy sector under three scenarios: baseline, where all assessment criteria are equally weighted; climate emergency, with a significant emphasis on CH4 reduction for cattle in pasture and feedlot systems; and conservative, where priority is given to reducing costs. In total, 46 strategies from 27 academic publications were identified and classified as ‘Avoid’, ‘Shift’, or ‘Improve’ with respect to their impact on current CH4 emissions. The findings indicate that ‘Avoid’ strategies of conversion of agricultural land to wetlands, salt marshes, and tidal forest are most efficient in the climate emergency scenario, while the ‘Improve’ strategy of including CH4 production in the cattle breeding goals is the best for the conservative and baseline scenarios. A policy mix that encourages a wide range of strategies is required to ensure CH4 emission reductions and make Australia’s livestock industry more sustainable.
“…According to TOPSIS, the best alternative is the one geometrically closest to the positive ideal solution and the farthest away from the negative ideal solution. As a technique to implement MCDM, TOPSIS has become a sound mathematical tool capable of guiding ideal solutions to challenging situations [16]. The application of MCDM through TOPSIS has resulted in a more efficient use of resources, improved decisions, and better risk management [22][23][24].…”
Section: Methodsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Several articles, namely Badgery et al [16], Stifkens et al [50], and Mwangi et al [13], investigated a number of legumes and herbs for impact on CH 4 reduction in ruminant diets. Badgery et al [16] found that Biserrula pelecinus has great potential to reduce enteric CH 4 emissions, similarly to clover Trifolium subterraneum.…”
Section: Feed Formulationmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…To address the CH 4 emissions associated with ruminants and to boost production, animal nutrition models have evolved over the past six decades. The majority of research has focused on total mixed-ration diets typical of feedlot cattle, despite 96% of cattle in Australia grazing on pastures, and grazing breeding females constituting the largest source of CH 4 emissions in Australian agriculture [14][15][16][17].…”
Although Australia remains committed to the Paris Agreement and to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, it was late in joining the 2021 Global Methane Pledge. Finding suitable methane (CH4) mitigation solutions for Australia’s livestock industry should be part of this journey. Based on a 2020–2023 systematic literature review and multicriteria decision approach, this study analyses the available strategies for the Australian beef and dairy sector under three scenarios: baseline, where all assessment criteria are equally weighted; climate emergency, with a significant emphasis on CH4 reduction for cattle in pasture and feedlot systems; and conservative, where priority is given to reducing costs. In total, 46 strategies from 27 academic publications were identified and classified as ‘Avoid’, ‘Shift’, or ‘Improve’ with respect to their impact on current CH4 emissions. The findings indicate that ‘Avoid’ strategies of conversion of agricultural land to wetlands, salt marshes, and tidal forest are most efficient in the climate emergency scenario, while the ‘Improve’ strategy of including CH4 production in the cattle breeding goals is the best for the conservative and baseline scenarios. A policy mix that encourages a wide range of strategies is required to ensure CH4 emission reductions and make Australia’s livestock industry more sustainable.
“…Oram (1993) outlined the reasons for expanding the number and area of alternative legumes as: (1) the need to fill diverse ecological niches within paddocks; (2) better buffering against pests and diseases; and (3) improving sustainable soil management. In addition, recent research has shown that alternative legumes may have a role in reducing methane emissions from livestock (Badgery et al 2023) and reducing incidence of metabolic disorders in livestock associated with issues such as bloat (Marshall et al 1979) and mineral imbalance (Refshauge et al 2022).…”
Strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum L.) is periodically raised as an alternative perennial pasture legume for temperate regions of Australia. Its tolerance of waterlogging is widely known, yet its ability to persist through periods of soil moisture deficit is often understated. Other desirable characteristics include its stoloniferous growth habit and tolerance of mildly saline conditions. Only four strawberry clover cultivars have been registered in Australia, and the most popular, cv. Palestine, is a direct introduction, released in 1938 and first certified in 1951. Furthermore, strawberry clover's distribution has largely been confined to niche environments, particularly waterlogged and saline areas. This paper reviews the taxonomy and breeding system, morphology, distribution and ecology, and subsequent transfer of strawberry clover to Australia. It reviews and maps the suitability of strawberry clover for perennial pasture systems in the medium--high rainfall and irrigated temperate zones of Australia, with reference to future climates. The paper also highlights the breeding focus, commercialisation and marketing required to supersede cv. Palestine and lists the germplasm available in the Australian Pastures Genebank, with origins. We conclude that, although strawberry clover is unlikely to become a dominant perennial pasture legume species in Australia, it could be used in a wider range of environments than just those affected by salinity and/or waterlogging stress.
“…Badgery et al . (2023) reviewed the role that pasture legumes and herbs can have in reducing enteric methane emissions from ruminant animals, highlighting an important future research area in pasture-based livestock production.…”
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