By Laura Weingartner
University of Alaska Fairbanks livestock nutritionist, Jim Vinyard, co-authored a 2025 study that found adjusting cattle diets could cut methane emissions while improving animal productivity. The research, led by University of Florida Associate Professor of Ruminant Nutrition, Antonio Faciola, tested a new type of cattle feed, made from a blend of flaxseed and pea protein, to help dairy cows release less methane gas while using nutrients more effectively.
Ruminants, like cows, sheep and goats, process food via fermentation, which produces methane. The animals release this gas via burps and flatulence. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and cows are a significant source of methane worldwide. Burping up methane causes cows and other ruminants to lose valuable energy. Reducing methane production by improving feed efficiency leaves more energy in the system to be used by the animal.
Faciola said former University of Florida postdoctoral student Vinyard, now with the UAF’s Institute of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Extension, was critical to the study.
By simulating dairy cattle’s digestion in the lab, Vinyard could test how much methane was produced based on diet. Adding the flaxseed and pea protein supplement, rich in omega-3 fatty acids and proteins, reduced methane production and improved overall digestion.
“The increased consumption of omega-3s by cows improves cow health,” Vinyard said. “There’s also potential for omega-3 enriched milk, which would benefit overall human health.”
Field trials are ongoing, but initial results suggest the supplemental feed could help address food security and climate goals. Feeding cows more efficiently can help meet growing global demands for milk.
“We will need to have cows producing more milk with the same amount of food,” Faciola said. “We have to be more efficient to feed more people.”
The study was published in the Journal of Dairy Science.
