EU-funded research network aims to revolutionise methane reduction in livestock through microbiome science

A €4.8 million EU-backed project launching in 2027 will focus on microbial solutions to cut methane emissions from cattle and sheep, promising a breakthrough in sustainable livestock farming.

A €4.8 million EU-backed research network will try to cut methane emissions from cattle and sheep by targeting the microbes that drive digestion in the rumen.

Rumen-Innovate, due to begin in March 2027, brings together 11 institutions and 19 research and industry partners across Europe. Led by Queen’s University Belfast, it will recruit 15 doctoral researchers to study the bacteria, archaea, protozoa and fungi that shape feed efficiency, animal health and methane output.

According to the Cordis project summary, the doctoral network will focus on microbiome-host interactions, controlled studies and diagnostic tools, with the broader aim of advancing sustainable ruminant agriculture and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.

Professor Chris Creevey, the project co-ordinator at Queen’s, said the initiative would help translate fundamental science into practical farm-level tools. He said the aim was to combine computational and experimental work to move from discovery to application.

The project builds on earlier EU-funded work in the same field. RuMinimum, a separate research effort running to December 2026, has been examining the structure and function of the rumen microbiome, while RUMIC explored prebiotic strategies to improve feed efficiency and lower methane emissions.

University of Galway will host two of the doctoral candidates. Dr Sinead Waters said the partnership would support research at the intersection of microbiome science, animal production and climate action.