Amazon's Jeff Bezos has announced a £7.3 million grant to support a UK-based initiative aimed at reducing cattle emissions through a potential new vaccine.

The project aims to utilise biotechnology to understand how a vaccine could reduce methane emissions from livestock by over 30%.

Led by the Pirbright Institute and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the project is funded by a grant from the Bezos Earth Fund.

Established in 2020 by Bezos, the fund has supported numerous initiatives to curb emissions, focusing on low-methane genetics, enhanced feed, and improved farming practices.

However, scientists suggest a vaccine could provide a scalable, cost-effective solution, seamlessly integrating into existing farm management systems.

Dr Andrew Steer, president of the Bezos Earth Fund, said: "Vaccines have proven to be incredibly effective in global health, and if we can apply this approach to cattle, the potential for reducing emissions is immense.

"The Bezos Earth Fund is committed to high-risk, high-reward projects like this, which have the power to transform our efforts against climate change."

The project includes two primary components, each addressing different facets of the challenge.

First, researchers at the Royal Veterinary College will study how and when methane-producing microbes populate calves' digestive tracts and how their immune systems respond.

Meanwhile, scientists at the Pirbright Institute aim to pinpoint and characterise the specific antibodies necessary to target these microbes effectively.

Professor John Hammond from the Pirbright Institute explained: "We're not developing a methane vaccine per se, but rather defining what a successful vaccine needs to achieve.

"By understanding the precise antibody responses required, we can provide a clear path forward for vaccine development. This approach reduces the trial-and-error aspect and focuses on targeted, high-resolution immunology."