Qld to spend $1m on sheep fart study

IF someone gave you a million dollars, what would you spend it on?

How about finding out how to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas blown out by cattle and sheep.

That's exactly what the Queensland government's doing with three major research projects funded by Canberra.

Primary Industries Minister Tim Mulherin says many people don't realise just how much cows and sheep contribute to global warming.

"In fact, methane from livestock contributes up to 14 per cent of Australia's total greenhouse gas emissions," he said in a statement on Monday.

"We are already known for cutting edge research on this problem, in particular investigating whether bacteria from kangaroos, which are largely methane free, can be implanted in cattle and sheep to reduce their methane production.

"Almost $1 million has been allocated to the projects, which aim to be completed in the next three years," Mr Mulherin said.