AGBU research scientist, Dr Michael Aldridge has been awarded one of the 2025-2026 Brian Wickham Young Persons Exchange Programs (BWYPEX) bursaries.

The program is designed for young scientists to help promote their network, develop skills,

and build confidence while they work on an international collaborative project. Michael will be visiting various research groups and evaluation service providers that are measuring methane on sheep with portable accumulation chambers. His current itinerary includes: Beef and Lamb New

Zealand and AgResearch (New Zealand), INIA (Uruguay), SRUC, AHDB, Innovis (UK), Teagasc (Ireland), Norwegian Sheep and Goat Association, and NMBU (Norway), INRAE (France).

The main project outcomes include:

• Documented trait recording protocols and trait definitions in each country
• Documented features of existing datasets across countries
• Draft key elements of guidelines on methane and feed intake trait recording in sheep and goats for the ICAR's prototype Guidelines Wiki
• Proposed pathway for the international sharing of sheep and goat methane and feed intake data

For more information about the BWYPEX, including the Key Objectives and the other

2025 Awardees, visit the ICAR website.