Global methane database: a milestone towards reduced emissions from ruminants

If you want to accelerate genetic progress for reduced methane emission in ruminants, building a large reference population with several partners is key. The GMG database, now ready to be filled with data, marks a major milestone on the way there.

"The database is the backbone of the GMG project: it allows animal breeders worldwide to exchange and store methane data," says Roel Veerkamp (Wageningen Livestock Research), who directed the database development. "Before the database was ready, everyone would send each other emails to ask for data, and they needed to sort out the formats, data agreements and everything else themselves. Now this is all in place, and if the data is already in the database, you can simply say: I’ll give you access. That’s a huge difference." The database will receive data from all GMG projects and is open for sharing with other projects as well.

Getting data in and out

The database consists of several linked tables, with methane, pedigree, genotype and microbiome data, and more. "Within each table, all uploaded records land together, with fields indicating for example species and organization," explains co-developer Ina Hulsegge (Wageningen Livestock Research). Projects upload their data through a web portal. If the file passes a set of checks, such as whether dates are formatted correctly, it is loaded into the actual database.

What about retrieving data? "There are three possible routes," says Roel. "You can either ask a data owner directly for access, upload your own data and automatically get an equivalent amount back, or request data for a specific research project, which a committee will assess." The infrastructure was built by DataGene, with a subcontracted programming team writing the actual code. Ina, Roel and Interbull worked closely with them to sort out practical questions and to handle data-sharing agreements.

“The database is the backbone of the GMG project: it allows animal breeders worldwide to exchange and store methane data”

Roel Veerkamp

The first data is here

In early July, GMG held workshops where all partners could try uploading a test dataset themselves. That went well, and some organizations have already started using the database for real. Roel: "Now that all projects are collecting data on a large scale, we expect everyone will start uploading their data in the coming months."

Do you have questions related to the database? Please contact gmg.database@wur.nl. You can also have a look at the presentation held at the workshop in July.