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New SAC Research Facility Gives Scotland a Lead - GreenCow to Help Scottish Livestock Industry Answer Questions About Climate Change

SAC News Release Ref. No: 11N36
Published: 15 Mar 2011

“SAC’s latest livestock research facility gives SAC and Scotland a significant lead in global efforts to help farming, food and rural businesses address the challenges of climate change. It gives us a seat at the table in national and international networks addressing these issues”.

That was the view expressed by SAC Chief Executive and Principal Professor Bill McKelvey today, as he invited Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment to open a new installation on SAC’s Edinburgh research campus. The new “GreenCow” building, which houses special equipment for accurate measurement of livestock inputs and outputs has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Scottish Government, with additional investment by SAC.

Bill McKelvey addressed an invited audience of funders, farmers, stakeholders, researchers and those who had made the project possible. In thanking them he reminded them of the tough greenhouse gas emission targets set by Scottish Government and others. The SAC Chief Executive stressed that while UK agriculture produces 7% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and ruminants are linked to about a third of the methane production, livestock were also vital in converting the grassland so abundant in Scotland into food for human consumption. They are an important part of the continuing success story that is the Scottish food and drink industry.

“We must use the best science to devise efficient food production systems which lower our carbon footprint. To do that we need accurate data and the new GreenCow facilities will do just that”, he said.”The special buildings, where animals will be housed for short periods of time while measurements are made, are the best in Britain, among the best in the world and designed with animal welfare a priority”.

In opening the new unit, Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment stressed the importance of science, research and hard evidence,

“Investment in science will help Scotland become more resilient to environmental change and optimise the use of our land. At a time when the impact of nature has been brought home to us so dramatically across the world it is important that we try to reduce uncertainties associated with climate change and offer more options for land managers. We can only tackle the challenges with the support of farmers”.

Mr Lochhead used the occasion to announce £3.5 million to fund the first year of new science research initiatives involving partnerships across Scotland’s main research providers(MRP’s) and universities and including SAC.

The Cabinet Secretary had previously inspected the six GreenCow units where cattle and sheep can live comfortably while inputs and outputs are monitored and measured. The data recorded can offer a benchmark for the computer models used in climate change forecasting. It can also assist studies into which types of cattle produce less greenhouse gas or how different production systems may have an impact on lowering the industry’s carbon footprint.

Work at the new GreenCow unit will compliment research already underway at SAC‘s Beef Research Centre outside Edinburgh where for example, high tech feeding analysis systems have  been installed since it was opened by the Cabinet Secretary in 2009. It will offer information for the many small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) in Scotland and the UK which are linked to the livestock industry and its associated businesses. Such is the scale and sophistication of the new installation and what it can do that SAC has already attracted additional research funding and been invited to contribute to an international research consortium.

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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