Methane emissions are an increasing focus for the livestock industry, but measuring them accurately under real feedlot conditions remains a challenge. This talk will highlight how uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs, or drones) are being used to measure methane emissions directly from feedlots. We’ll walk through how the technology works, what it can reveal about emission patterns, and how these measurements compare to traditional approaches. The presentation will focus on practical insights, current limitations, and what this type of data could mean for producers as the industry moves toward improved efficiency, transparency, and sustainability.
Sushree Sangita Dash is a PhD candidate at McGill University in Montreal and a research participant at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. Her work focuses on measuring and understanding methane emissions from beef feedlot systems using emerging technologies, including UAV-based measurements, under real-world feedlot conditions. Her research is conducted at commercial feedlots to ensure findings are practical, transparent, and relevant to on-farm decision-making. This work is part of a collaborative research effort between Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Trevor W. Coates and Dr. Chandra A. Madramootoo focused on improving methane measurement in livestock systems.