Why is this research important to Alberta?

• Protecting Canada’s highly threatened grasslands through managed grazing, maintaining ecosystems while supporting ranch profitability.
• Reducing methane emissions from beef cattle using genomics, fecal microbiome analyses, and adaptive grazing strategies.
• Enhancing grassland soil carbon sequestration by integrating soil microbiome and plant metabolomics data to guide grazing practices.
• Identifying drivers and barriers to adopting carbon-sequestering grazing, and public willingness to financially support improved grazing, and thus rural livelihoods.
• Providing practical, evidence-based information for ranchers and policymakers to implement climate-smart, resilient grassland management practices.

What is the goal of this work? How will genomics be used?

This initiative develops and translates complex omics, cattle and environmental data into practical recommendations, promoting grazing and grassland management using:

• Cattle genomics to characterize physical performance and GHG emissions in grazing cattle with varying feed efficiency, guiding both selective breeding and adaptive grazing decisions.
• Fecal microbiome analyses to reveal microbial taxa and functional genes linked to enteric methane production, enabling early detection of high- or low-emission animals.
• Soil microbiome sequencing to characterize microbial communities and functions that regulate carbon cycling and enhance soil health.
• Plant metabolomics to measure forage composition and nutrient content, linking plant chemistry to soil microbial activity and cattle productivity.
• Integration of multi-omics datasets using AI and machine learning to develop predictive models, bio-indicators, and decision-support tools for adaptive grazing.
• Partnerships with Canadian universities, government organizations, private ranchers, and industry collaborators that support practical, science-informed grazing and cattle management strategies.

The outcomes will provide practical recommendations for grazing and grassland management, supporting climate-smart, resilient practices.

What are the expected benefits, and how will the research findings be shared?

This initiative delivers sector-wide and societal benefits through:

• Multi-omics-informed grazing cattle management that improves feed efficiency and growth, and pasture productivity while reducing trial-and-error risks for ranchers.
• Targeted land management that lowers enteric methane and soil emissions, enhances soil carbon sequestration, and maintains grassland ecosystem services.
• Improved forage and soil quality that supports food production, environmental sustainability, and public health.
• Omics-based bio-indicators, open-access data, and decision-support tools that provide producers with rapid feedback on cattle productivity and grassland condition.
• Knowledge sharing with public audiences on grassland preservation and stewardship to enhance economic and environmental returns for society.

Research findings will be shared through open-access data, decision-support tools, and knowledge sharing with public audiences.

Related Resources

Related information can be accessed through:

• Initiative website: CAT-G Project
• News article: Threatened grasslands key to carbon capture solutions