The discovery involves selectively breeding animals that emit less methane. The researchers found that there were large differences in methane emitted by animals that were fed the same diet, with 11% of those differences being genetic.

The research also showed that the 20% highest emitting animals emit 30% more methane compared to the 20% lowest emitters.

Researchers concluded that breeding programmes may be used to curtail methane emissions in the future.

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, said: “I believe we are standing on the precipice of a major breakthrough that will be a game changer in our drive to reduce agricultural emissions.

“Science is the ace up our sleeve in reaching our climate targets and we are being strategic in our approach to backing credible and practical science.

The implementation of a low methane emitting breeding programme has significant potential to harness the genetic variation for methane emissions that exists within the national herd.

“This, in turn, will bring about permanent and cumulative reductions in the methane output of future generations of livestock.”