University of Galway is part of a new European Union research project that will advance sustainable ruminant agriculture through microbiome science.

Rumen-Innovate is a consortium including 11 universities and research bodies as well as farming organisations and industry in eight countries across Europe to support the training and development of the next generation of ruminant microbiome scientists.

With EU-funding of €4.8 million, the project’s focus is on cleaner air, more sustainably produced food, and healthier animals.

Dr Sinead Waters, lecturer in the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences in University of Galway, said: “Our participation in Rumen-Innovate provides University of Galway and our Ryan Institute with the opportunity to contribute to novel transformative research at the intersection of microbiome science, animal production, and climate action. Importantly, this collaboration will produce highly skilled researchers and technologies with real-world impact for the livestock sector.”

The project is funded under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network as part of Horizon Europe. University of Galway will host two doctoral students in ruminant microbiome science to advance the generation of greenhouse gas mitigation technologies to improve sustainable agriculture.

Ruminant microbiome scientists study the complex communities of bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi living inside the digestive tracts of animals like cows and sheep. Their research focuses on improving animal health, boosting feed efficiency, and reducing agricultural methane emissions. Cattle and sheep produce a significant amount of methane, a greenhouse gas that is far more potent than CO₂ in the short term.

The network addresses critical global challenges facing the livestock sector: feeding a growing population sustainably, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant animals, and improving animal health and production efficiency.

The project is funded under the Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme (Grant Agreement ID: 101311612). Full project details are available on the EU CORDIS database: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101311612

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