Mr Barnett owns and operates Associated Feedlot and is a representative of Australian Lot Feeders Association (ALFA).

He is calling for independent Australian research comparing various organic trace mineral products under matching conditions, in order to understand both their production and environmental benefits.

"While it is clear that ruminants function more effectively when they are provided with appropriate trace mineral supplements such as copper, zinc and iron, the industry has had to rely on research carried out in the United States of America," Mr Barnett said.

"To my knowledge, no Australian research has ever been published.

"It is time to act for the benefit of Australian ruminants and the potential to enhance their growth and productivity."

Funding for research and development into organic trace minerals can produce a wide range of positive industry returns and even environmental benefits, says Optimum Animal Efficiency managing director John Griffin.

"Effort is being made to focus more on environmentally sound practices in the agricultural sector," Mr Griffen said.

"Organic trace minerals are environmentally preferable because they are much more efficiently absorbed by the animal.

"This results in much lower levels of minerals being passed through the animal and contaminating soil.

"I believe that those producers who supplement their cattle with organic trace minerals can both achieve higher liveweight gains and reduce their level of methane emissions.

"We just need to focus on Australian research in this area in order to quantify the benefits."

Mr Griffin believes his firm's new Absorb range of products is a step towards meeting that need, saying they are 100 per cent glycine based, 100pc water soluble, GM-free, suitable for organic and non-organic production and the "most stable liquid form of organic trace minerals currently available in Australia".

"In addition, we are about to expand into supplementation via daily drinking water of grazing animals," he said.

"This has the potential to deliver accurate daily doses of trace minerals and other methane reducing agents to ruminants.

"We are keen to do our own study in the months ahead, with or without support from industry, comparing various products under identical Australian conditions to establish the true environmental benefits for all ruminant livestock producers."